Source: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Posted On: 25 OCT 2025 9:45AM by PIB Delhi
In the spirit of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has taken a significant step towards reinforcing grassroots biodiversity conservation efforts by releasing a sum of ₹18.3 lakh to select Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim.
This financial disbursement is not a grant, but rather the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) amount, a crucial component operating under the legal framework of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. This mechanism ensures that the benefits arising from the commercial or research use of biological resources are fairly and equitably shared with the local communities who have preserved them.
Direct Benefit Transfer to Local Biodiversity Management Committees
The funds were seamlessly and transparently transferred directly to the two beneficiary BMCs via their respective State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs). This direct channeling of funds underscores the commitment to empowering local bodies and streamlining the benefit-sharing process. The two committees receiving the funds are:
- The Narrau village Biodiversity Management Committee, situated in Akrabad Kaul Taluk, Aligarh District, Uttar Pradesh.
- The Biodiversity Management Committee in the Lampokhari Lake Area, Aritar, Sikkim.
The Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Framework in Action
The release of these funds is a direct result of commercial entities accessing biological resources from these areas, thereby triggering the ABS clause of the Act. The specific access instances include:
In Narrau village, Uttar Pradesh, a company accessed local crop materials. These materials were utilized for the purpose of producing fermentable compounds from lignocellulosic biomass. This transaction demonstrates the economic value derived from traditional agricultural resources.
Conversely, in the scenic Lampokhari Lake area, Sikkim, a different company was granted access to collect microorganisms from both water and soil samples. This access was specifically for research purposes, highlighting the importance of the region’s microbial diversity.
Strengthening Grassroots Conservation Efforts
By channeling these substantial funds directly to the local custodians, the National Biodiversity Authority is essentially fulfilling the core mandate of the Act. This financial empowerment is designed to allow the BMCs to take a leading, proactive role in biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of their invaluable natural resources. The initiative effectively translates the principle of ‘Access and Benefit Sharing’ into tangible support for the communities that safeguard India’s rich biological heritage.