Ministry:
Chemical and Fertilisers and Pharmaceutical
- The Chemical Weapons Convention (Amendment) Bill, 2010 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on April 16, 2010 by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Srikant Kumar Jena. The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers, which is scheduled to submit its report within two months.
- The Bill seeks to amend the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000, which was enacted to give effect to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. India signed the Convention on January 14, 1993.
- The Act establishes a National Authority to implement the provisions of the Convention. The central government has the power to appoint any officers of the National Authority as enforcement officers. The Bill broadens the scope by allowing the central government to appoint any of its officers as enforcement officers.
- The Act does not allow any person to transfer or receive specified toxic chemicals from a person who is not a citizen of a State Party.
- The Bill amends the provision by prohibiting transfer from a State which is not party to the Convention.
- The Act provides for registration of persons engaged in the production, processing, transfer, import, export or use of any toxic chemical or engaged in the production of discrete organic chemical. The Bill provides for specifying threshold limit for registration of chemicals.
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