Ex-Cabinet secretary 'regrets' over introducing GM cotton in India

Former Cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian on Friday said that he regrets having allowed Genetically Modified (GM) cotton in the country over two decades ago.

"In 1990s, I introduced GM cotton in India. Twenty years later, I regret...I am responsible for suicide of thousands of cotton farmers," Subramanian said at an panel discussion at a book launch function.

Subramanian, a 1961 batch IAS officer, further said that most European countries and Japan don't allow GM crops.

Talking about the performance of the Narendra Modi government, Subramanian said, "This government has done wonderful work in three years. I believe that the present dispensation should get 10 years."

"Failures of India can largely attributed to IAS class...Blame also should go to economists of India who studied in Harvard, Oxford University and now working for the Government of India but don't know anything about India," he said.