'"

No.18-47/2006-SD.IVGovernment of India

Ministry of AgricultureDepartment of Agriculture & Cooperation

Krishi BhavanNew Delhi, Dated: 2nd December 2010

To

The Principal Secretary/Secretary Agriculture,Government of

Sub: Guidelines for the Component 'Quality Control Arrangements on Seeds' underthe Scheme for 'Development and Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilities forProduction and Distribution of Quality Seeds'.

Sir,

Seeds Division implements a Central Sector Scheme known as 'Development andStrengthening of Infrastructure Facilities for Production and Distribution of QualitySeeds'. Assistance is provided for 10 components under the Scheme, and onecomponent pertains to 'Quality Control Arrangements on Seeds'.

\Guidelines of the Scheme, including for component "Quality Control" were

issued in 2005, revised in 2006 and further revised on 26.08.2009.

Government of India has re-considered the entire matter and guidelines of26.08.2009 are hereby withdrawn .. Guidelines for Quality Control component issuedvide letter of even no. dated 12.06.2006 will remain in-force, subject to followingchanges.

S.N. Item Assistance admissible under *Revised Ceiling of Assistance2006 guidelines

1 Strengthening Assistance is available for Assistance will be availableof Seed strengthening of Seed Testing upto limit of ~15 lakhs perTesting Laboratories upto limit of ~10 laboratory. _

-;

Laboratories. lakhs per laboratory. I

2 Seed (a). Strengthening of Seed' (a).Strengthening of SeedCertification Certification Agency - ~15 Certification Agency - Z15Agencies lakhs. lakhs.

(b). Establishment of GOT (b). Establishment of GOTFarm - ~10 lakhs. Farm-~35 lakhs.." .•..

"

* Actual assistance will depend on equipment/works.

State Governments are requested to forward proposal to Government of India inaccordance with above revision. Proposals pending with Government of India and notyet sanctioned will be considered as per revised ceiling of assistance.

Yours faithfully,

(~)Director (Seeds)

Copy to:

1. Director of Agriculture- All States/UTs.2. Director of all State Seed Certification Agencies.3. Ma."'la.a;~~1)i"lfQ.<:.tc)'·r~ of ~\\ S)rC\t~ s,••.••.J.s Lo"("~o..,.••.\.tbY\5./NS.c.\<;~C.l.

Copy also to: .

i. Sr. PPSto Secretary (A&C).ii. PSto AS (AB).iii. PSto (AS&FA).~~ PSto JS(Seeds). ,.

~ Director (NIC), OAC - with the request that this letter together withguidelines of 2006 (copy enclosed) may be uploaded on SeedNetportal.

( ~- 7,"~ .. ·~~ '.0@}

F.No.18-47/2006-SD.IVGovernment of India

Ministry of Agriculture(Department of Agriculture & Cooperation)

BXSpeed Post

In continuation of this office letter No. 18-5912005-SD.IV dated 19th August,2005, please find enclosed herewith the revised guidelines for release of funds Iunder the scheme "Quality Control. Arrangements on seeds, a sub-component ofthe restructured scheme for "Development and Strengthening of InfrastructureFacilities for Production and Distribution of Quality Seeds" for your guidance .

•Krishi Bhavan,

New Delhi 110001

Dated: 1z" June, 2006

To,

The Principal Secretary/Secretary (Agriculture),Government of

Subject: Revised Guidelines for Quality Control Arrangements on Seeds, asub-component of the restructured scheme for Development andStrengthening of Infrastructure Facilities for Production andDistribution of Quality Seeds. 1·

Sir,

...J'

The State Governments are requested to send proposals to Department ofAgriculture & Cooperation/Government of India for the consideration of release offunds for Development and Strengthening of Seed Infrastructure/any componentthereof.

Yours faithfully,

AJ2(S.L.Bhat)

Joint Secretary to the Government of India,

2

Guidelines for Quality Control Arrangements on Seeds, a sub-component of the restructured scheme for Development and Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilities for Production and Distribution of Quality Seeds. Title of the Scheme: Quality Control Arrangements on Seeds Components of the Scheme:

1. Strengthening of Central Seed Committee and Central Seed Certification Board;

2. To provide financial assistance to CSTL till the establishment of NSRTC Laboratory at Varanasi;

3. To Strengthen Seed Division of DAC; 4. To provide financial assistance to Quality Control Organizations to

impart training; 5. To strengthen Seed Development Organizations for Quality Control;

and 6. To obtain the membership from ISTA and OECD for boosting the

export of seeds.

1. Strengthening of Central Seed Committee and Central Seed Certification Board.

1.1 Section 3 (i) of the Seeds Act, 1966 provides that the Central Government shall after the commencement of the Seeds Act, constitute a Committee called Central Seed Committee to advise the Central Government and the State Governments on all matters arising out of the administration of this Act and to carryout the other functions assigned to it by or under this Act. Similarly, Section 8A provides that Central Government shall by notification in the Official Gazette establish Central Seed Certification Board (CSCB) to advise the Central Government on all matters relating to certification and to coordinate the functioning of agencies established under Section 8 of the Seeds Act. 1.2 This is a continuing scheme from the IX Plan. The provision under this component is to be utilized for the payment of TA/DA of the staff of CSC and CSCB and TA/DA of the non-official members of its sub-committees constituted under the relevant provision of the Act and Rules as well as for strengthening of the CSC and CSCB with regard to office efficiency, delivery mechanisms etc. 1.3. At present, two Central Seed Sub Committees, 35 State Seed Sub-Committees each for agricultural and 35 State Seed Sub-Committees for Horticultural Crops, Technical Committee of Central Seed Certification Board beside Central Seed Committee and Central Seed Certification Board are constituted as per the provisions of Seeds Act as to facilitate the availability of quality seeds to the farmers. 1.4 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division.

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2. To provide financial assistance to CSTL till the establishment of NSRTC Laboratory at Varanasi. 2.1 According to Seeds Act, 1966, there should be a Central Seed Testing Laboratory to perform the following functions:

(a) Initiate testing programmes in the collaboration with State Seed Laboratories, designed to provide uniformity in test results between all recognized seed labs. In India.

(b) Collect data continually on the analysed seeds found in the

market and make this data available to Central Seed Committee (CSC) and Central Seed Certification Board (CSCB).

(c) To coordinate and standardize the seed testing procedure in

the country.

2.2 Since there is no Independent Central Seed Testing Laboratory (CSTL) in the country as on date, a laboratory of the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, (IARI) has been designated CSTL.

2.3 Now, it is proposed to continue the same component during the 10th Plan till the establishment of NSRTC Laboratory at Varanasi. The budgeted amount would be expected to be spent on market survey and drawing the samples at the seed selling points, purchase of computers, reagents, germination papers, glassware and other equipment for infrastructure facilities, chemicals etc. as per their need. This amount is also expected to meet the administrative expenses for the staff of CSTL who are expected to conduct market survey or seed testing in the country. This will be provided as grant-in-aid.

2.4 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division.

3. Strengthening of Seed Division

3.1 Seed Division has 8 sections. It is necessary to strengthen the Seed Division in the light of increasing work in the Seeds Division. This is a continuing scheme/component. It is therefore decided to continue this component for the 10th Plan Period with an estimated outlay of Rs.20.00 lakhs. This amount would be utilized for purchase of books, computers for technical staff, organization of symposium/seminars, payment of consultancy service for revision of standards of seed testing, seed certification, publication of Seed Division etc. 3.2 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division.

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4. Assistance for training 4.1 The development of Human Resources as prime importance to the development of seed production programme in India. With rapid development of Science and Technology, seed production is no longer regarded as a substance occupation and has arisen to the status of commercial activity. It is therefore imperative to identify the development of Human Resources. The training is to be organized in a regular manner for the officials who are engaged in Seed Development Programme as well as farmers, dealers and traders so as to achieve the targeted seed distribution. Training of farmers, dealers and traders is of equal importance as well because they are required to be trained in seed production/marketing technology and practice in order to achieve enhancement in the quality of farm saved seeds. 4.2 Although, seed production is similar in many respects to general crop production, the seed production requires specially trained personnel. In addition to cultural practices associated with crop production, seed producers or supervisors are concerned with isolating fields plant spacing etc. for seed production, water management, pollination, harvesting times, methods of drawing, storage etc. little attention is given to these areas in standards agronomic curriculum. The purpose of the training is to improve the work performance of personnel. 4.3 No amount of academic for short course pending will substitute for learning on the subject. In service training can be useful at any level of responsibility. It is therefore, proposed to extend the financial assistance to State Governments/UTs, NSC, State Seed Corporations, Certifications Agencies, Seed Science and Technology Division of Agricultural University to conduct training in the filed of seed production technology, seed management and marketing in all its dimensions. 4.4 The training course under this scheme may relate to following streams: (i) Integrated Seed Law Enforcement; (ii) Seed Production Technology; (iii) Seed Management; (iv) Seed Marketing; (v) Seed Testing; (vi) Seed Certification (vii) Any specialized training on seed development programmme; (viii) Detecting prescribed level of lethal protein in the transgenic crops;

and (ix) Hybridity testing.

The pattern of financial assistance will remain same as was in the Ninth Plan i.e. Rs.50, 000/- for a training of about 25 officials for 5 days training course. With regards to providing the training to the farmers/dealers/traders it is to state that Director Agriculture of State

5

Government is empowered to choose the farmers/dealers/traders for the training and provide the required training to them according to their need. 4.5 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division. 5. Strengthening of Quality Control – Seed Development

Organizations.

General Strengthening of Seed Testing Laboratories; Strengthening of State Seed Certification Agencies; 5.3 To establish/strengthening of grow-out-test farm for agriculture/horticulture crops; and

5.4 Establishment of hi-tech DNA Seed Testing Lab. 5.1 General Strengthening of Seed Testing Laboratories (State Govt./Seed Certification/Seeds Corporations Laboratories including NSC & SFCI. 5.1.1 Seed testing has been recognized as an essential aspect of quality of seed programme. In fact, quality control programmmes are pointless unless they involve seed testing. Seed Testing is a part of Seed Certification Programme, Seed Law Enforcement, enforcement of Seeds (Control) Order, seed production and marketing. Accordingly, importance of seed testing laboratory has been well recognized under the Seeds Act, 1966 and the Seeds Rules, 1968 empowers the State Government to establish one or more seed testing labs in the State. 5.1.2. The laboratories are expected to provide the following services:- (a) Services to the certification agencies for certification and

validation/revalidation of foundation and certified seeds; (b) Testing of service samples, Service sample is the sample submitted to

STL by the farmers or purchaser of the seed to know the quality of seed. It may be any seed – breeder seed, foundation seed, certified seed, labeled seed or farm saved seed; and

(c) Testing of seed law enforcement sample. This is the seed sample submitted to notified seed testing laboratory by the Seed Inspector to assess the quality of seed sold in the market as per Seeds Act, 1966 and Seeds (Control) Order, 1983.

5.1.3 It is proposed to establish/strengthen the laboratories by providing financial assistance @ Rs.10.00 lakhs each laboratory to State Governments/Union Territories/State Seeds Corporations/State Seed Certification Agencies/NSC/SFCI for strengthening their laboratories for purchase of essential equipment. Following criteria should be met to get the financial assistance to strengthen the seed testing laboratories. a) Possess suitable building/space to house the equipments being

supplied; b) Have efficient trained staff to conduct test;

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c) The Incharge and Seed Analysts should possess minimum educational qualification required for Seed Analyst to conduct these tests;

d) The equipments would be maintained properly and running expenditure require to purchase, reagents, chemicals etc. would be provided.

5.1.4. List of equipments, which help to attain the standards by upgrading Seed Testing Laboratories is given at Annexure-I. 5.1.5. Seed Testing Laboratories will be required to identify their shortcomings with respect to various equipments that are required for updating seed testing purposes and as per their requirement. The proposal will be sent to the Seed Division of the DAC. The financial assistance will be limited to Rs.10.00 lakhs for one laboratory. However, financial assistance can also be extended for more than one laboratory. 5.1.6 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division. 5.2 Strengthening of State Seed Certification Agencies 5.2.1 The Seeds Act, 1966 provides the legislative framework for regulation of quality of seed sold in the country. The Act provides system of certification of seeds, which is intended to assure the farmer about the quality of the seeds that he purchases. There are 21 State Seed Certification Agencies of State Governments/Union Territories engaged for the quality control and certification of seeds in country. 5.2.2. The object of the Seed Certification is to maintain and make available to the public through certification high quality of seeds and propagated material of notified kind/varieties so grown and distributed as to ensure genetic identity and genetic purity. Seed Certification also designed to achieve prescribed Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards under Section 17A of Seeds Rules, 1968. 5.2.3. In order to coordinate all functions through computer for effective seed certification programmme, it is proposed to release the fund to seed certification agencies to attend to the following works:-

1) Related to registration Information system; 2) Seed Management System; 3) Field Inspection schedule and it monitoring; 4) Field inspection information management; 5) Processing information management; 6) Seed Sampling management; 7) Seed analysis management 8) Inventory management;

9) Certification record analysis system; 10) Progress of monitoring and evaluation system;

11) Personal management information system; 12) Financial information system, electronics mail fax etc.

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13) Upgrading the general and specific Minimum Seed Certification;

14) Seed Certification procedure; 15) Field Inspection; 16) Pre and post harvest supervision; 17) Seed sampling, analysis; 18) Grant of Certification tag, tagging and sealing; 19) Training, liaison arrangements, store inventory, etc.; and 20) All certification work other than stated above.

5.2.4. Financial assistance would be available to seed certification agencies for strengthening of infrastructure facilities such as:

• Strengthening of computerization programme

• Office automation

• Internet facility

• Purchase of infrastructure facilities for field inspection

• Infrastructure facilities for certification work. The financial assistance would be limited to Rs.15.00 lakhs.

5.2.5 Certification agency can also utilize this fund for other purposes as non-recurring expenditure basing on the local needs with the approval of Governing Board of Certification Agencies/concerned State Governments, if the certification agency is functioning within the Government system.

5.2.6. The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division. 5.3 Establishment/strengthening of grow-out-test farm for agriculture/horticulture crops to determine the genuineness of cultivars (by the State Governments/Union Territories/Seed Certification Agency/Seeds Corporation)

5.3.1 The seed certification programme, controlled pedigree system, rules and regulations for maintaining the quality of seed, production and distribution of quality seed are all aimed at maintaining cultivar trueness and purity of seed. Inspite of this, possibilities always exist for unwanted seeds of other cultivars or other types to contaminate the originally pure seed lots. Cause of contamination includes: (1) natural crossing with another cultivar especially in open pollinated crops, (2) mutation, (3) unclean harvesting equipment, (4) carelessness at the processing plant and (5) mistakes in bagging and tagging.

5.3.2 To discover and control such contamination pre and post control tests are conducted by means of cultivar identification and purity determination.

5.3.3. Cultivar purity or genuineness is tested by means of heritable characters (morphological, physiological, chemical etc.) of seeds, seedlings and plants. Determination of the cultivar purity test is the only

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full proof method to identify the true to type of the cultivar. Hence, it is imperative to establish/strengthen the grow-out-test farm in the Department of Agriculture of the State Governments/Union Territories, Seed Certification Agency and Seeds Corporations. 5.3.4 Financial assistance for establishment/strengthening of grow-out-test farm will be limited to development of fencing facilities, development of irrigation facilities and for purchase of power tiller and required accessories i.e. the implements and attachments. There will be a requirement of about 5 acres of land for establishment of grow-out-test farm for agriculture/horticulture crops. The land will have to be provided either by the State Government or by the Seeds Certification Agencies or the Seeds Corporations themselves. The financial assistance would be limited to the following maximum amounts:- a) Development of fencing facilities - 2.5 lakhs maximum b) Creation/development of irrigation facilities - 5.0 lakhs maximum c) Power Tiller and other required implements/ - 2.5 lakhs maximum attachments. Total: - Rs.10.00 lakhs Note:- The above expenditure can be re-appropriated within the permissible component.

5.3.5 The above break-up expenditure is an informative and not confirmative, however, the required equipments would be purchased/expenditure would be incurred taking into the requirement of local need with the approval of State Government/Governing Board of the Seed Certification Agency/Board of Directors of Seeds Corporation, if the assistance is deviated to other than the facilities/equipments stated above. If the certification agency is functioning under the Department of Agriculture, then they have to get the approval of Government. However, this non-recurring expenditure should be incurred only for the purpose of establishment/strengthening of grow-out-test farm for agriculture/horticulture crops. 5.3.6 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division.

5.4 Hi-tech DNA Seed Testing Laboratory Hi-tech DNA Seed Testing Laboratory will carryout the following purposes: -

5.4.1 Facility for hybrid seed/hybridity testing. 5.4.2 Facility for testing GM crops/Bt. Cotton 5.4.3 Installation of facilities for conducting DNA Finger Print Test.

5.4.1 Facility for hybrid seed/ hybridity testing

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5.4.1.1 The exploitation of hybrid vigour (Heterosis) in the development of varieties of crop plants is one of the more remarkable and successful developments in planting breeding. F1 hybrid varieties of many crops are now common and improvements in yield, uniformity and disease resistance in such varieties are well known. The analysis of protein composition as a means of plant variety identification is now well established in developed countries. The success of electrophoretic procedures depends on the wide- ranging polymorphism of seed and seedling proteins and the fact that these proteins represent primary gene products. Their expression and detection are thus largely unaffected by environmental interactions and they can be conveniently used as markers of genes, genetic systems or chromosomes. The equipments necessary are relatively inexpensive. Hence, there are many advantages of an electrophoretic approach for variety identification. 5.4.1.2 State/UTs Seed Corporations/Seed Certification Agencies may identify Seed Testing laboratories in their organizations to specialize in the hybrid seeds testing. The laboratories so identifies should be superior to other routing seed testing laboratories in the organizations with respect to the quality of seed analysts/testing staff, infrastructural facilities including building, electrical installation, furniture etc. The laboratory should be able to provide separate room/hall for the electrophoresis equipment and the computer to be installed. 5.4.1.3 The Seed Testing Laboratory so identified for hybrid testing will have to keep liaison with the National Seed Research Training Centre, Varanasi (NSRTC)/ ICAR Centre/SAU in the State for technical guidance as well as for any kind of problem solving which may also include training. However, person(s) from laboratory so identified will be trained in the Research Institutes on the methods of process relating to hybrid seed/ hybridity testing. 5.4.1.4 For such identifies laboratory a non-recurring grant of Rs.10.00 lakh will be given for establishing the electrophoresis unit, the details of which are given at Annexure-II. 5.4.1.5 The equipments listed at Annexure-II is an informative and not confirmative, however, the required equipments would be purchased/ expenditure would be incurred taking into the requirements of local need with the approval of Competent Authority of the Government/Governing Board of the Seed Certification Agency/ Board of Directors of Seeds Corporation. 5.4.1.6 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division. 5.4.2 Facility for testing GM crops/Bt. Cotton 5.4.2.1 Seed Testing Laboratory notification under the Seeds Act are empowered to test GM crops for Seed Law Enforcement purpose as only one GM crop is approved in India so far and that is cotton. Therefore, the facility may be limited only to Bt. Transgenic cotton testing. States/Union Territories may send their proposal and that may be examined on a case of case basis. However, the CICR has already been declared as a referral

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laboratory for this purpose and they have developed a strip test for presence of Bt. Gene. The approximate cost of one such strip test kit is about Rs.25/-. The assistance for purchasing of these kits will be given to the Seed Law Enforcement Authorities of the States/UTs for testing the presence or absence of Bt. Gene in the given seed lot. Apart from this, if any other equipment/accessory is required for GM cotton crops, the proposal may be sent to Seeds Division for consideration. 5.4.2.2 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, it and when need arises by the Seeds Division. 5.4.3 Installation of facilities for conducting DNA finger Print Test. 5.4.3.1 Provision is made to extend the facilities for hybridity testing for which electrophoresis unit and other related materials required to run iso-enzymes and not to detect the biochemical description of the gene. Thus, for the foreseeable future, biochemical descriptors, in particular DNA based descriptors, will be valuable test for providing information on genetic identify and similarity to the agricultural community at large. As many of the gene-enzyme system responds to and can be altered in its developmental expression by extra cellular signals viz. light, hormones etc. identification of varieties based on iso-enzymes may not be accurate/reliable, therefore, installation of facilities for conducting DNA Finger Print Test is imperative so as to pin point the distant morphological/agronomic/biochemical traits. Molecular data based on DNA markers, which give unique identity to the varieties facilitate easy comparison, corresponding to important morphological characters of the Varieties. 5.4.3.2 It is proposed to upgrade the facilities at least one notified seed testing laboratory in the State/UTs by installation of facilities for conducting DNA Finger Print Test for the purpose of analyzing genetic purity of seed samples, which included genetically modified crops. The financial assistance for the purpose will be limited to Rs.25.00 lakh per laboratory. The suggestive list of equipments, which help to attain the standards upgrading the facilities for conducting DNA Finger Print Test, is given at Annexure-III. 5.4.3.3 The equipments listed at Annexure-III and the cost of equipments is an informative and not confirmative, however, the required equipments would be purchased/ expenditure would be incurred taking into the requirement of local need with the approval of competent authority of the Government/ governing board of the Seed Certification Agency/Board of Directors of Seeds Corporation. 5.4.3.4 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division. 6 Financial assistance is to be extended to State Government/Union territories to obtain the membership of International Organization of Seed Testing (ISTA) and organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) of Seed Certification.

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6.1 It is proposed to extend the financial assistance to the State Government/Union Territories to obtain the membership of International Organizations of Seed Testing (ISTA) and organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Certification. The object to obtain this membership is to develop the Seed Industry and Seed Certification Agencies and promotion of export of seeds. Presently, no Seed Testing Laboratories n the country are accredited with these International Agencies. While exporting seeds and planting material to countries like USA, Australia, Canada, and Europe, the Importers insist for orange tag for seed testing and OECD Certificate for export. Seed Testing Laboratories accredited with ISTA could only issue the ISTA Certificate. The subscription fee for joining these agencies is very expensive. To provide this mandatory requirement for boosting export of seeds, it is therefore, necessary on the part of GOI that financial assistance may be rendered to State Government/Union Territories. 6.2 The primary purpose of the International Seed Testing Association and OECD is to develop adopt and public standard procedure for sampling, testing seeds certification and to promote uniform application of these procedures is oblation for the seeds moving in International Trade. ISTA membership is a global network. Currently, ISTA 193 designated and ordinary personal members. It accredited 97 laboratories in 70 countries. ISTA workers in close cooperation with FAO, OECD, International Organization for standardization (ISO), International Union for protection of new varieties of Plants (UPOV), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) etc. ISTA provides wide range of handbooks including all relevant topics in seed technology. 6.3 The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD) with it’s headquarter at Paris, France has established certification schemes for seed moving in international trade. Cereal seed (including rice), maize seed, herbage and oil seed, beet seed, seed of subterranean clover and similar species, vegetable seed, and forestry reproductive material are included in the OECD schemes. Because of the different conditions in the member countries, the OECD schemes establish standards only for varietal purity (except for the beet seed scheme, which also includes other seed quality standards). The OECD rules are available from its headquarters. The rules have application to seed certified under the scheme and intended for international trade. They do not directly affect the internal seed certification system of member countries. However, countries often work to harmonize their procedures so the internal and external systems are similar. 6.4 It is proposed to provide financial assistance to State Governments as grant in aid to obtain the membership from ISTA as well as OECD. Before obtaining ISTA membership for the Lab., which proposed by the State Government should be adequately equipped with required men and material. Government of India proposed to extend the financial assistance for (A) for purchase of equipments and (B) paying annual fee, limited to Rs.45,00,000/- and Rs.2,20,000/- respectively as grant in aid. The State Government has to identify only one laboratory, which is the best among the all notified laboratories for the assistance. The laboratory proposed for ISTA membership should be identified by the committee constituted by the expert in the field under the Chairmanship of the Secretary, Agriculture of the State

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Government. The expert committee has to spell out the justification for obtaining the ISTA membership and it’s sustainable in the field of seed testing. The equipments to be purchased for meeting the technical audit of ISTA before obtaining the membership and the amount to be paid for the annual fee are enclosed as Annexure-IV. 6.5 It is proposed to extend the financial assistance to the tune of approximately Rs. 2.35 lakh for obtaining OECD membership. State Governments should ensure the benefit to the derived out an account of obtaining OECD membership and it’s sustainable in the field of Seed Certification by the expert committee constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary, Agriculture of the State Government before approaching the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation for financial assistance. 6.6 ‘If the ISTA or OECD accreditation/certification is not finally obtained, the money will be returned to the Central Government. 6.7 The above guidelines may be relaxed/amended, if and when need arises by the Seeds Division.

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Financial involvement for strengthening the Seed Development Organization per State Government is as follows: a) Financial assistance to training. (State Government, Rs. 2.00 lakh Seeds Corporation, Certification Agency minimum Four trainings x Rs. 50,000/- each) b) Strengthening of Seed Testing Laboratories (State Rs. 30.00 lakh Government, Seed Corporation, Certification Agency Minimum three labs x Rs. 10.00 lakh each) c) Strengthening of State Seed Certification Agency Rs. 15.00 lakh d) To establish grow-out test farm for agriculture/ Rs. 30.00 lakh Horticulture crops9State Government, Seed Corporation, Certification Agency minimum three farm x Rs. 10.00 lakh each) e) Facility for hybrid seed/hybridity test Rs. 30.00 lakh (State Government, Seeds Corporation, Certification Agency minimum three hybrid testing x Rs.10.00 lakh each) f) Facility for testing GM Crops/Bt. Cotton Rs. 1.00 lakh g) Installation of facilities for conducting DNA Rs. 25.00 lakh Finger Print Test h) For obtaining ISTA/OECD membership Rs.49.55 lakh TOTAL : Rs. 182.55 lakh

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Annexure –I

Basic necessary Equipments required for Seed Testing Laboratory

(To test apprx. 10000 samples per year)

S.No. Nomenclature of items Qty. in

nos.

1. Seed Divider (Soil type) and Boerner type 1+1

2. General seed blowers-model ER type with kit & transformers 1

3. Binocular magnifier 1

4. Simple microscope 1

5. Electrically heated oven with thermostatic control 2

6. Universal moisture tester and improved moisture tester with transformer 2

7. Electronic timer 1

8. Grinding mill (At ISTA specification) 1

9. Balance with rediability up to three decimal places 1

10. Cabinet type germinator 1

11. Refrigerator (165 Ltr.) 1

12A. Air conditioner for walk in germinator (germination room) 2

12B. Timer, Temperature control for walk in germinator(germination room) 2

12C. Humidifier for walk in germinator (germination room) 5

13. Steel trolley 2

14. Hot Air oven (seed sterilizer) 1

15. Auto clave 1

16. Moveable open trolley 4

17. Wild stereo bio-noculars microscope wild M-5A as per required caliber 2

18. Compound Research microscope DIAPLAN Microscope(wid levy company) 1

19. In Calculator maintaining 20 degree centigrade fitted with NUV tubes, timer,

racks etc.

1

20. Incubator 1

21. Laminar flow of Horizontal/vertical 1

22A. Dehumidifier for simple storage room 1

22B. Air conditioner for sample storage room 2

23. Generator 1

24. Digital Moisture Meter 1

25. Automatic Seed Analyzer 1

26. Vacuum seed counter 1

27. Purity work board 1

28. Digital Thermo hygrograph 1

29. Seed Blower 1

30. U.V. Chamber 1

31. Mini centrifuge 1

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Annexure –II

List of equipments for Electrophoresis Unit

(i) Refrigerator – 210 Ltr. (To store reagents etc.)

(ii) Refrigerated high Speed centrifuge (15000 rmp) (multi rotors) (iii) PH meter (extended range with temperature calibration)

(iv) Vertical, dual slab gel electrophoresis Unit with 16 cm x 20 cm gel

plates (20-25) wells each), gel cassettes, spacers, combs, accessories and spare parts.

(v) Circulating cooling unit for the electrophoresis unit (Optional)

(vi) Gel documentation system with visible/UV transillumation, reading

options, complete with the dark room, camera, software, computer and printer)

(vii) Analytical weighing balance (with 1 mg readability), up to 200 g

capacity.

(viii) Air conditioner for electrophoresis room.

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Annexure-III

Installation of facilities for conducting DNA Finger Print Test

S.No. Particulars Cost (Approx.)

Rs. in lakh

1. Construction of additional building (61.15 sq.m) 3.50

2. PCR Machine 3.50

3. Chemicals 2.00

4. Deep Freezer (-20o C) 1.50

5. Plastic ware, consumables an Glassware 3.50

6. Ice maker 2.00

7. PH Meter 0.10

8. Pipette of different volume 0.50

9. Computer with accessories printer, digital

camera/photo unit, with image light cabinet and

software

5.50

10. Provision for rectification of existing electrophoresis

system

0.50

11. Air-conditioner 1.5 T & Installation – 2 units 1.00

12. Furniture 1.40

Total 25.00

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Annexure –IV

Suggestive equipments to be purchased to meet the technical audit of ISTA

A. Particulars of equipments Approx.cost

Rs

Purpose

1. Prefabricated germinator room (walk in germinator with

control for temperature, RH and light – 2 nos.)

Construction of Generator room

20,00,000

98,000

To conduct germination test

under controlled condition.

Generator room is to install

generator to be purchased.

2. Machinery and Equipments :

Four digit weighing balance – 1 No.

Seed grader – I No.

Seed grinder – 1 No.

Seed Counter – 1 No.

PH meter – 1 No.

Generator - 45 KV- 1 No.with accessories & installation

Air conditioner 2 Tones – 1 Unit

Dehumidifier – 1 No.

Mobile storage system for Guard sample room]

Reference sample stand – 1 No.

Materials for weed chart

Computer with accessories, Printer

For strengthening electric main and replacing the wiring

of Seed Testing Laboratory, Coimbatore

1,00,000

20,000

10,000

30,000

10,000

5,17,960

35,000

1,65,000

4,00,000

5,000

75,000

72,700

4,46,000

There are required to conduct

physical purity test. Moisture

test, to satisfy preliminary

requirements to conduct

germination test. Mobile storage

system will be useful to store

guard samples. Computers will

be useful to store analytical data

and to declare results.

3. Other equipments, materials and media required for

routine test :

Top loading weighing balance – 5 kg – 1 No.

Seed Blower – 1 No.

Thermometer – 1 No.

Roll towel paper – 1000 kg @ Rs.350/ kg.

Filter paper – 1000 nos. @Rs.Rs.36/sheet

Measuring cylinder – 10 mil – 5 Nos.@Rs.176/unit

Conical flash – 250ml.- 20Nos.@Rs.91/unit

Conical flash – 500ml.- 10 Nos.Rs.114/unit

Beaker-100 -150 Nos.@ Rs.52/unit

Ethrel – 100ml.@Rs.650/100 ml.

Potassium nitrate – 20 kg@Rs.120/500 gm

Gibrellic acid - 2 gm@Rs.120/1gm.

Miscellaneous

28,000

18,000

250

3,50,000

36,000

880

11,820

1,140

7,800

650

4,800

240

45,760

These are required to conduct

physical purity test, moisture

test, to satisfy preliminary

requirements to conduct

germination test.

Grand Total for purchase of equipments 45,00,000

B. Approximate Membership fee

Laboratory membership fee – 4716 CHF (Swiss Francs)

Additional annual fee for an - 1107CHF

an accredited laboratory (Swiss Francs)

1,75,000

45,000

Requirement to enroll as

member of ISTA

Total 2,20,000

Note: The above equipments are suggested to meet the technical audit of ISTA, however, the organization

is free to purchase any equipment required to meet the technical audit of ISTA within the amount

earmarked.