A fresh beginning

New GM cotton can reverse the yield decline

The approval by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) for bio-safety field trials of the new genetically modified (GM) pest-resistant cotton is deemed significant in several respects. For one, coming shortly after the clearance of GM mustard, this move can be viewed as an affirmation of a welcome shift in the government’s policy concerning GM crops, shrugging off opposition from the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, an affiliate of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideologue, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. It can, therefore, be expected that more gene-tweaked crops, which are in different stages of development, may also get through, paving the way