To regulate the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticide with a view to prevent risk to human beings or animals and for matters connected therewith.
For regulation the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides with a view to prevent risk to human beings and animals and for matters connected therewith ‘The Insecticides Act, 1968’ (No. 46 of 1968) was enacted by the Parliament in the Nineteenth year of the Republic of India. Under the Provisions of the Act which was extended to the whole of India-
(1) The Central Government Constituted (i) a Central Insecticides Board to advice the Central Government and the State Governments on technical matters arising out of the administration of this Act and to carry out other functions and (ii) a Registration Committee to register insecticides (including fungicides and weedicides) after scrutinishing their formulae and verifying claims made by the importer or the manufacturer, as regards their efficiency and safety to human beings and animals and to perform other functions.
(2) The State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint such persons as it thinks fit to be Licensing Officers for the purpose of this Act and define the areas in respect of which they shall exercise jurisdictions.
Any person desiring to manufacture or to sell, stock or exhibit for sale or distribute any insecticide (or to undertake commercial pest control operations with the use of any insecticide), may make an application to the Licensing Officer for the grant of a licence.
(3) The Central Government or a State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint persons in such numbers as it thinks fit and possessing such technical and other qualifications as may be prescribed to be Insecticides Inspector for such area as may be specified in the notification.
An Insecticide Inspector shall have power (a) to enter and search, at all reasonable times and with such assistance, if any ,as he considers necessary, any premises in which he has reason to believe that an offence under this Act or the rules made thereunder has been or is being or is about to be committed, or for the purpose of satisfying himself that the provisions of the Act or the rules made thereunder or the conditions of any certificate of registration or licence issued thereunder are being complied with;

(b) to stop the distribution ,sale or use of an insecticide which he has reason to believe is being distributed, sold or used in contravention of the provisions of the Act or the rules made thereunder;

(c) to exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying out the purpose of this Act or the rules made thereunder.
No person shall, himself or by any person on his behalf, import or manufacture, sell, stock or exhibit for sale or distribute-
(a) any misbranded insecticide;
(b) any insecticide, the sale, distribution or use of which is for the time being prohibited;
(c) any insecticide except in accordance with the conditions on which it was registered;
(d) any insecticide in contravention of any other provisions of this Act or of any rule made therunder.
Whoever (1) (a) imports, manufactures, sells stocks or exhibits for sale or distributes any insecticide deemed to be misbranded, or (b) imports or manufactures any insecticide without a certificate of registration; or (c) manufactures, sells, stocks or exhibits for sale or distributes an insecticide without a licence; or (d) sells or distributes an insecticide the use of which involve such risk to human beings and/or animals, or (e) obstructs an Insecticide Inspector in the exercise of his powers or discharge of his duties under the Act or the rules made thereunder shall be punishable (i) for the first offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both; (ii) for the second and subsequent offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
(2) Whoever uses an insecticide in contravention of any provision of this Act or any rule made therunder shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.
The State Agriculture Department published leaflets and pamphlets about the use of some pesticides and precautions and care to be taken while handling and applying the plant protection chemicals.