
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 2.82 crore from Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds to 27 State Biodiversity Boards, three Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, and the ICAR-Indian Institute of…
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 2.82 crore from Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds to 27 State Biodiversity Boards, three Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, and the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research in Karnataka. The funds aim to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of biological resources.
The allocation follows the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, which mandates sharing benefits arising from the use of genetic resources with local communities. The NBA collects ABS fees from industries using biological resources and distributes them to state and UT bodies for conservation activities.
The release covers the period up to 2024-25. The ICAR institute in Karnataka will use its share for research on horticultural biodiversity. No further disbursement dates have been announced.
The ABS mechanism is a key pillar of India's biodiversity governance, designed to ensure that communities conserving genetic resources receive a share of commercial profits. The NBA has faced criticism for slow disbursement, with many state boards lacking funds for field-level conservation. This release, while modest, signals operational progress. The next milestone to watch is the NBA's annual report for 2024-25, which will show whether total collections and disbursements have increased.
Source: indiaeducationdiary.in
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