National Biodiversity Authority Funding Distribution

National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) Funding and Initiatives

• Funding Distribution: NBA has allocated ₹2.82 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism.

  • ₹2.80 crore distributed to 27 State Biodiversity Boards (SBB) and 3 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBC).
  • ₹2.01 lakh allocated to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Karnataka.

• Source of Funds: NBA received ₹2.94 crore from Advanta Enterprises Ltd. for the genetic resources of various crops:

  • Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) - 8 hybrids
  • Chilli (Capsicum annuum) - 5 hybrids
  • Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) - 5 hybrids
  • Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) - 6 hybrids

• Distribution Highlights:

  • Major recipient states include Gujarat (₹44.59 lakh), West Bengal (₹41.24 lakh), and Madhya Pradesh (₹32.73 lakh).
  • Total funds distributed to the top 10 states:
    1. Gujarat - ₹44.59 lakh
    2. West Bengal - ₹41.24 lakh
    3. Madhya Pradesh - ₹32.73 lakh
    4. Odisha - ₹32.57 lakh
    5. Bihar - ₹30.86 lakh
    6. Chhattisgarh - ₹16.54 lakh
    7. Uttar Pradesh - ₹12.66 lakh
    8. Andhra Pradesh - ₹10.51 lakh
    9. Tamil Nadu - ₹10.49 lakh
    10. Maharashtra - ₹7.07 lakh
    11. Other (20 SBB/UTBC) - ₹40.55 lakh

• Utilization of Funds: Allocated funds will be used for:

  • Documentation and updating of People’s Biodiversity Registers.
  • In-situ and ex-situ conservation efforts.
  • Restoration of degraded ecosystems and strengthening biodiversity heritage sites.
  • Capacity building of biodiversity management committees and enhancement of community livelihoods.
  • Utilization certificates and expenditure statements must be submitted within one year of fund receipt.

• Additional Funding: NBA received ₹7.15 lakh from Sumitomo Chemical India Ltd. for two microbial strains for research and commercial use.

  • 30% of this amount (₹2.01 lakh) will be distributed to ICAR-IIHR as per ABS regulations.

• Legal Framework: Funding and activities align with the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and its regulatory framework. NBA’s efforts aim to ensure that benefits derived from commercial use of India’s biological resources contribute to biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and socio-economic development of farmers and local communities.

• Cumulative ABS Amount: NBA has distributed a total of ₹185 crore (approximately USD 19.34 million) under the ABS mechanism.

• International Commitments: This initiative supports India's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, contributing to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Target 13, which calls for effective measures to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.

This summary encapsulates the recent initiatives and funding by the NBA, highlighting the legal, economic, and international dimensions of biodiversity management in India.