The Maharashtra government has given permission for field trials in some crops in genetically modified (GM) lines of rice, chickpeas, maize, brinjal and cotton.
As per reports, state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government won't take any further steps only after closely monitoring and waiting for the results of these trials.
Fadnavis also stated that the decision was based on the recommendations of a state-level committee, headed by Anil Kakodkar, the former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Maharashtra is now the fourth state to approve open field trials in GM crops, after Punjab, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.