In order to boost cotton production and enhance the quality, the government
has taken several steps including the release of Bacillus thuringiensis
(Bt.) cotton.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha the Minister of State for Textiles, E
V K S Elangovan said, there is a marginal decline in the production of
textile items due to various external and internal factors including high
input costs.

The Government has taken following steps to increase the yield and to
enhance the quality of cotton: -

The Government had launched Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC) in February
2000 to increase the production, productivity and quality of cotton fibre in
a mission mode.

The Mission has achieved success in reducing the contamination and enhancing
the quality to the international standard through the upgradation of cotton
market yards and modernization of ginning and pressing factories.

Since 2003-04, the Government had commercially released Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt.) cotton, which is pest resistant, to improve the cotton
yield and quality. This new application of technologies i.e. biotechnology
has resulted in more cotton produced from lands already in production, more
efficient use of water resources and less use of farm chemicals.
www.checkbiotech.org