NEW DELHI, India — The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released ₹2.82 crore under India’s Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism to support biodiversity conservation and related activities across states, Union Territories and a public research institution.
- Key Highlights:
- NBA has disbursed ₹2.82 crore in ABS funds to 27 State Biodiversity Boards, 3 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils and ICAR-IIHR, Karnataka.
- ₹2.80 crore has been allocated to State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils based on the cultivation of relevant horticultural crops.
- Gujarat received the largest state allocation at ₹44.59 lakh, followed by West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
- NBA said total ABS funds released so far have reached ₹185 crore.
NBA releases ₹2.82 crore under biodiversity benefit-sharing mechanism
The National Biodiversity Authority released the funds on August 22, 2026, following the receipt of Access and Benefit-Sharing payments linked to the utilisation of India’s biological resources. The money is intended to support biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and community-linked activities.
Of the total ₹2.82 crore released, ₹2.80 crore has been distributed among 27 State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and three Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBCs). Another ₹2.01 lakh is being released to the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR) in Karnataka.
Funds linked to horticultural crop hybrids
The NBA received ₹2.94 crore from M/s Advanta Enterprises Ltd., formerly known as M/s UPL Limited, as ABS payments associated with the utilisation of genetic resources.
The biological resources involved eight cauliflower hybrids, five hot pepper hybrids, five okra hybrids and six tomato hybrids. The scientific names identified in the government statement are Brassica oleracea var. botrytis for cauliflower, Capsicum annuum for hot pepper, Abelmoschus esculentus for okra and Solanum lycopersicum for tomato.
According to the NBA, the biological resources had been accessed through the acquisition of another company. As a result, they could not be traced to specific benefit claimers such as individual farmers, communities or one identifiable geographical source.
Gujarat receives largest state allocation
The NBA had earlier constituted an Expert Committee to recommend how the benefit-sharing component should be allocated in cases where specific beneficiaries cannot be identified. The Authority subsequently approved the committee’s recommendation.
Under the approved mechanism, the ₹2.80 crore distribution took into account the cultivation of the relevant horticultural crops across different states and Union Territories.
| State | Amount Released (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|
| Gujarat | 44.59 |
| West Bengal | 41.24 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 32.73 |
| Odisha | 32.57 |
| Bihar | 30.86 |
| Chhattisgarh | 16.54 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 12.66 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 10.51 |
| Tamil Nadu | 10.49 |
| Maharashtra | 7.07 |
| Others | 40.55 |
Gujarat received the highest allocation among the listed states at ₹44.59 lakh. West Bengal received ₹41.24 lakh, while Madhya Pradesh received ₹32.73 lakh. Odisha and Bihar were allocated ₹32.57 lakh and ₹30.86 lakh, respectively.
How State Biodiversity Boards will use the funds
The released funds are intended for a range of biodiversity-related activities. These include documentation and updating of People’s Biodiversity Registers, conservation of biological resources in their natural habitats and outside them, and restoration of degraded ecosystems.
The money can also support the strengthening of Biodiversity Heritage Sites, capacity building for Biodiversity Management Committees and initiatives aimed at enhancing community livelihoods.
The SBBs and UTBCs are required to submit a utilisation certificate and expenditure statement within one year of receiving the funds.
Separate ABS allocation for ICAR-IIHR
In a separate transaction, the NBA received ₹7.15 lakh from M/s Sumitomo Chemical India Ltd., Mumbai, formerly M/s Excel Crop Care. The payment relates to access to two microbial strains sourced from ICAR-IIHR in Karnataka for research and commercial utilisation.
The strains identified in the government statement are Pseudomonas fluorescens 1% WP, strain IIHR-Pf-2, and Trichoderma harzianum 1% WP, strain IIHR-Th-2.
Because these biological resources were accessed from a public research institution, 30% of the ABS amount, equivalent to ₹2.01 lakh, is being disbursed to ICAR-IIHR. The remaining amount will be utilised by the NBA in accordance with Section 27 of the Biological Diversity Act.
Research and conservation activities to receive support
ICAR-IIHR is required to utilise the allocated funds within one year. Permitted activities include maintaining repositories, conducting research and biodiversity surveys, strengthening capacity in taxonomy and supporting conservation work.
The funds can also be used for in-situ and ex-situ conservation of biological resources and their wild relatives. The allocation is therefore linked not only to research infrastructure but also to the wider conservation of biological diversity.
NBA says total ABS releases reach ₹185 crore
The latest disbursement is part of the NBA’s continuing implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and its associated regulatory framework. The authority said the mechanism is intended to ensure that benefits arising from commercial utilisation of India’s biological resources contribute to conservation, sustainable use and the socio-economic development of farmers, local communities and others involved in conserving and sustainably using biodiversity.
With the latest release, the total amount of ABS funds released by the NBA so far has reached ₹185 crore, equivalent to $19.34 million as stated by the authority.
The initiative also contributes to India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Target 13 concerning fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources and digital sequence information on genetic resources, as applicable.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Content Creator of The Nation Bulletin, an independent digital news platform focused on delivering timely, reliable and meaningful news from India and around the world.
