The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has distributed Rs 1.19 crore to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and one Union Territory Biodiversity Board under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism.

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) announced today that a total of 1.19 crore rupees has been distributed to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and one Union Territory Biodiversity Board under the “Access and Benefit Sharing” (ABS) mechanism for this year. This amount is intended for the conservation of biodiversity, its sustainable use, and the equitable sharing of benefits arising from it with local communities.

Dr. R. K. Gupta, the head of the NBA, stated at a press conference that this financial assistance is meant to “recognize and encourage state efforts in the field of biodiversity conservation and their implementation.” He said, “This year’s funding demonstrates that the central government is taking its commitment to biodiversity seriously.”

Biodiversity Boards, which operate at the state and Union Territory levels, formulate policies, plans, and programs related to biodiversity at the local level. According to the NBA, these boards can invest the allocated funds in their respective plans, such as ecosystem restoration, education and training programs for local people, and various initiatives to raise awareness about biodiversity.

The details of the distributed amount are as follows:

- A total of 1.12 crore rupees to 29 State Biodiversity Boards.
- 7 lakh rupees to 1 Union Territory Biodiversity Board.

According to the NBA, this funding is being provided under the “Access and Benefit Sharing” framework, which involves access to biodiversity resources and the sharing of benefits arising from them. This mechanism was established under the Biological Diversity Act of 2002.

Priya Sharma, Executive Director of the NBA, explained, “We have established clear criteria to distribute this year’s funding equally among the states. Under these criteria, each state has been allocated funds based on its biodiversity richness, conservation efforts, and benefits to local communities.”

Several states have already utilized this funding for their conservation activities. For example, in Tamil Nadu, a new “Biodiversity Education Center” was opened using this year’s funds, where students from local schools are being educated about the importance of biodiversity.

Additionally, the Maharashtra Biodiversity Board has used this amount to promote “sustainable agricultural practices.” They stated, “Due to this year’s funding, we have been able to train over 10,000 farmers on organic farming methods.”

According to the NBA, a portion of the funding provided under “Access and Benefit Sharing” has also been earmarked for future research and development activities. This will assist scientists and researchers in studying new aspects of biodiversity.

Finally, Amit Kumar, spokesperson for the NBA, said, “We hope that this year’s funding will make biodiversity conservation efforts among states more coordinated and effective. We request all states to use this fund for the conservation and development of biodiversity in their respective regions.”

Thus, this assistance of 1.19 crore rupees strengthens the efforts of the National Biodiversity Authority and proves to be a significant step towards achieving India’s biodiversity conservation goals.