Context
India's agricultural industry has entered a new age of independence and sustainability with the environmental release of GM mustard DMH-11.
 
Background
To address the growing and complex challenge of achieving global food and nutritional security under the rapidly changing climate, the adoption of science-based technologies for crop improvement, such as genetic engineering for developing genetically modified (GM) crops, has become a necessity. 
The 'Zero Hunger' aim by 2030 is challenging to reach, according to the Global Food Security and Nutrition Report, 2019.

Need for GM crops  
Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger.
Increased stress on agricultural lands.
Population pressure.
Climate change.
Global      economic gains – (1996-2018) – $ 224.9 bn – 16 million farmers – 95% from      developing countries.
Has benefitted      26% of the global population.

India specific needs  
India faces a      major deficit in edible oils. 
Imports – 13      million tonnes – Rs 1.17 lakh crore.
Per hectare      yield is low.
Saves soil      moisture and nutrients.
Effective weed      control.
Will boost      vibrant genetic engineering research.
Enhance farm      income.

What is DMH-11?  
The signature      feature of DMH is that it carries a gene for herbicide resistance. i.e.      herbicide tolerant. 
It has been      developed by scientists from the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop      Plants (CGMCP), Delhi University. 
They developed      the hybrid containing two alien genes isolated from a soil bacterium      called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
The      barnase-barstar GM technology was deployed to develop DMH-11. The researchers found a popular Indian      mustard variety ‘Varuna’ (the barnase line) with an East European ‘Early      Heera-2’ mutant (barstar).
It contains 3      important genes Bargene, Barnase and Barstar, all derived from soil      bacterium. 
It would be a      high-yielding variety of the mustard crop. 

Challenges  
The      availability of GM crops is a major concern.
Local      varieties of seeds will get ignored leading to a loss of biodiversity.
Herbicide-resistant      weeds will increase.
The capability      of the GMO to escape and potentially introduce the engineered genes into      wild populations.
The      persistence of the gene after the GMO has been harvested.
The      susceptibility of non-target organisms (e.g. insects which are not pests)      to the gene product.
The stability      of the gene and increased use of chemicals in agriculture.

LTX Mains Question
Q. Elaborate the concerns and challenges associated with GM crops.