NBA Disburses Rs 45.05 lakh to Biodiversity Management Committees across 10 States and Two UTs

1. At a Glance

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed Rs 45.05 lakh to benefit claimers via State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and UT Biodiversity Councils under the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism [S1][S2].
• Operationalises the third pillar of India's three-tier biodiversity governance (NBA → SBB/UTBC → BMC) established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 [S3].
• UPSC relevance: live example of ABS in practice, Nagoya Protocol implementation, and grassroots biodiversity federalism — frequently asked in Prelims and GS-III (Environment).

2. Why in the News

• 9 February 2026: PIB release announcing NBA's Rs 45.05 lakh ABS disbursement to 90+ BMCs across 10 States + 2 UTs plus 15 Red Sanders farmers in Andhra Pradesh [S1][S2].
• Funds were generated from commercial use of biological resources including insects, soil/water microorganisms, and cultivated Red Sanders [S2].

3. Background & Evolution

• 1992: India signs the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the Rio Earth Summit.
• 2002: Biological Diversity Act enacted to give effect to CBD obligations [S3].
• 2003: NBA established at Chennai under the MoEFCC.
• 2004: Biological Diversity Rules notified.
• 2010: India signs the Nagoya Protocol on ABS (in force 2014).
• 2023: Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 rationalises compliance and decriminalises offences.
• 2017–2025: India issued 12,830 ABS approvals (5,913 by NBA + 6,917 by SBBs/UTBCs); mobilised Rs 216.31 crore and disbursed Rs 139.69 crore to benefit claimers [S3].
• June 2026: India submits its 1st National Report on Nagoya Protocol implementation to CBD [S3].

4. Core Static Facts

• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) [S1].
• Enabling Act: Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended 2023) [S3].
• Three-tier structure:
• NBA (national, Chennai) — foreign access regulation.
• SBBs / UTBCs (state level) — Indian commercial users.
• BMCs (local body level) — under Section 41 of the Act [S3].
• BMC mandate: prepare and maintain People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) [S3].
• BMCs constituted nationally: > 2,76,653 [S3].
• This disbursement:
• Amount: Rs 45.05 lakh [S1].
• Beneficiaries: 90+ BMCs + 15 Red Sanders farmers (AP) [S1][S2].
• States (10): Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Assam, UP, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh [S1].
• UTs (2): NCT of Delhi and Ladakh [S1].
• Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus): endemic to Eastern Ghats (AP); IUCN: Near Threatened; CITES Appendix II; WPA 1972 Schedule IV.

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Environmental - Channels commercial-use revenue back to in-situ conservation at the village level [S1]. - Incentivises cultivation of high-value species (Red Sanders) reducing pressure on wild stock [S2].

Legal / Constitutional - Statutory backing: Sections 21 & 41 of BDA 2002 (ABS and BMCs respectively) [S3]. - Concurrent List entry — "Forests" & "Protection of wild animals and birds" (Entries 17A/17B post 42nd Amendment). - Implements Article 8(j) of CBD and Nagoya Protocol obligations [S3].

Administrative / Governance - Tests cooperative federalism: NBA collects, SBBs route, BMCs receive. - Decentralisation via 73rd/74th Amendments — BMCs constituted by local bodies.

Economic - ABS as a non-tax revenue stream for rural communities; cumulative Rs 139.69 crore disbursed (2017–25) [S3]. - Creates dual income for Red Sanders farmers (timber + ABS share) [S2].

Social / Equity - "Fair and equitable benefit sharing" — operationalises community IPR over traditional knowledge. - Geographic inclusion of Ladakh signals integration of cold-desert biodiversity.

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• Feb 2026: Rs 45.05 lakh to 90+ BMCs across 10 States + 2 UTs [S1].
• 2025–26: NBA provided Rs 6.09 crore financial support to SBBs/UTBCs [S4].
• 2025: NBA disbursed Rs 17 lakh to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC [S4].
• 2025: NBA realised Rs 2.40 crore under ABS in 45 days [S4].
• 2025: Rs 39.84 crore released to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders protection [S4].
• 2026: India's 1st National Report on Nagoya Protocol submitted to CBD [S3].

7. Prelims Hooks

• NBA headquartered at Chennai, established 2003 under BDA 2002 [S3].
• BMCs constituted under Section 41 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 [S3].
• BMCs prepare People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) [S3].
• India's three-tier structure: NBA → SBB/UTBC → BMC [S3].
• Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 decriminalised certain offences.
• Nagoya Protocol (2010) — supplementary to CBD; entered into force 12 Oct 2014.
• India signed CBD at Rio Summit, 1992; ratified 1994.
• Red Sanders: endemic to Eastern Ghats (AP); CITES Appendix II; IUCN Near Threatened.
• Rs 45.05 lakh disbursed (Feb 2026) covers >90 BMCs + 15 Red Sanders farmers (AP) [S1].
• Ladakh and NCT Delhi were the two UTs in this disbursement [S1].
• ABS funds came from insects, microorganisms (soil/water), cultivated Red Sanders [S2].
• More than 2,76,653 BMCs constituted across India [S3].
• 2017–25: Rs 216.31 crore mobilised; Rs 139.69 crore disbursed under ABS [S3].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Conservation, Environmental Impact Assessment, Biodiversity.
• GS-II: Statutory bodies; Centre-State-Local relations.
• Syllabus headings: "Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation"; "Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies."
• Question stems: 1. "Examine how the Access and Benefit-Sharing mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 operationalises India's commitments under the Nagoya Protocol." 2. "Biodiversity Management Committees represent the convergence of environmental federalism and grassroots democracy. Discuss." 3. "Critically evaluate the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 in the context of community rights and ease of doing business."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) & Nagoya Protocol — parent international framework [S3].
• Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), 2022 — successor to Aichi Targets.
• Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 — current statutory regime.
• People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) — BMC-level documentation tool.
• Forest Rights Act, 2006 — overlapping community resource rights.
• Red Sanders / CITES Appendices — species-specific trade regulation.
• TKDL (Traditional Knowledge Digital Library) — biopiracy defence (CSIR-AYUSH).
• Mission LiFE & National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2024 update.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• NBA is at Chennai, not Delhi or Dehradun.
• BMCs are constituted by local bodies under Section 41 — not by SBBs.
• NBA handles foreign access; SBBs handle Indian commercial users — split often confused.
• Nagoya Protocol is on ABS, while Cartagena Protocol is on biosafety/LMOs — both under CBD.
• Red Sanders is CITES Appendix II (not I) and IUCN Near Threatened (downlisted from Endangered in 2018).
• The 2023 amendment did not abolish BMCs; it eased compliance for AYUSH/codified-knowledge users.

11. Sources

• [S1] NBA Disburses Rs 45.05 lakh to BMCs across 10 States and Two UTs — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2225252 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Same PIB release (detail mirror) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2225252&reg=3&lang=2 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] India Submits 1st National Report on Nagoya Protocol Implementation to CBD — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2240577 — (tier: 1)
• [S4] Related NBA/ABS PIB releases (BMC/Red Sanders disbursements 2025-26) — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2226567 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2219875 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2227366 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2192377 — (tier: 1)