Major Policy Drive by NBA to Streamline ABS Fund Utilisation; Guidelines for Designated Repositories Revised

1. At a Glance

National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, has tightened procedures for utilisation of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds and revised norms for Designated Repositories [S1][S3].
Decisions taken at NBA's 77th meeting on 23 March 2026 in Chennai, operationalising amendments brought in by the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 [S1][S4].
Relevant for UPSC at the intersection of environment-governance (GS-III), CBD/Nagoya Protocol obligations (GS-II) and federal implementation through BMCs/SBBs [S2][S5].

2. Why in the News

PIB release dated 17 April 2026 announced reforms approved at NBA's 77th meeting (23 March 2026, Chennai) to streamline channelling of ABS dues under Section 27 of the Biological Diversity Act and to revise guidelines for designated repositories notified under Section 39 [S1][S5].
Follows NBA disclosure that ₹21.26 crore was realised under ABS in FY 2025-26, and that cumulatively ₹216.31 crore has been mobilised against ₹139.69 crore disbursed to benefit claimers [S2].

3. Background & Evolution

1992 — India signs Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the Rio Earth Summit [S5].
2002 — Parliament enacts Biological Diversity Act, 2002; three-tier structure: NBA (national), SBBs (State), BMCs (local) [S5].
2003 — NBA constituted under Section 8 of the Act, headquartered at Chennai [S5].
2010 — India joins Nagoya Protocol on ABS; ratified in 2012 [S2].
2014 — Notification of the ABS Guidelines giving operational shape to Section 21 (benefit-sharing terms) [S5].
2023 — Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act No. 10 of 2023) notified on 3 August 2023 [S4].
2024 — Amendment Act enforced from 1 April 2024; Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 notified [S4].
2025 — India submits 1st National Report on Implementation of Nagoya Protocol to CBD [S2].
2026 — NBA's 77th meeting overhauls ABS fund flow and repository guidelines [S1].

4. Core Static Facts

Parent ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) [S1].
Statutory base: Biological Diversity Act, 2002; amended by Act 10 of 2023 [S4][S5].
NBA HQ: Chennai [S1].
Section 8 — constitution of NBA [S5].
Section 21 — benefit-sharing terms determined by NBA [S5].
Section 27 — application of NBA funds; ABS monies to be channelled to identified benefit claimers; where unidentifiable, used for socio-economic development of areas of origin of the biological resource [S1][S5].
Section 39 — Central Government, in consultation with NBA, may designate institutions as Repositories for categories of biological resources; voucher specimens to be deposited before export [S3][S5].
ABS realised FY 2025-26: ₹21.26 crore; cumulative mobilised ₹216.31 crore (USD 28.04 mn); disbursed ₹139.69 crore (USD 16.83 mn) [S2].
CBD obligations: Three objectives — conservation, sustainable use, fair and equitable sharing of benefits [S2].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal / Constitutional - Operationalises Section 27 (fund utilisation) and Section 39 (repositories) of the BD Act, 2002 [S1][S5]. - Gives effect to India's obligations under Article 15 CBD and the Nagoya Protocol [S2]. - Concurrent List subject — Forests & Biodiversity (Entry 17A / 17B, Schedule VII) — explains role of SBBs and BMCs [S5].

Environmental - Strengthens flow of monetary benefits to grassroots BMCs, supporting in-situ conservation (e.g., ₹1.36 cr released to Maharashtra & UP BMCs; ₹17 lakh to BMC Mumbai; ₹10.40 lakh across 24 districts) [S2]. - Designated repositories safeguard ex-situ conservation of genetic material and associated data [S3].

Economic - ABS converts traditional knowledge and bio-resources into a monetisable revenue stream for local communities; cumulative ₹139.69 cr disbursed [S2]. - 2023 amendment eases compliance for AYUSH, codified traditional knowledge users, and Indian companies, encouraging bio-economy investment [S4].

Administrative / Governance - Three-tier federal architecture: NBA–SBB–BMC; the 77th meeting reforms address bottleneck of unutilised ABS corpus where benefit claimers cannot be identified [S1][S5]. - Revised repository norms tighten voucher specimen deposit discipline before export of biological resources [S3].

Geopolitical / Strategic - India's 2025 First National Report under the Nagoya Protocol projects ABS leadership ahead of CBD COP cycles [S2].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

1 April 2024 — Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 enters into force; Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 notified [S4].
2025 — India submits 1st National Report on Nagoya Protocol implementation to CBD Secretariat [S2].
FY 2025-26 — NBA realises ₹21.26 crore under ABS [S2].
Successive disbursements to BMCs: ₹18.3 lakh (UP & Sikkim), ₹1.36 cr (Maharashtra & UP), ₹17 lakh (BMC Mumbai), ₹10.40 lakh (24 districts) [S2].
23 March 2026 — NBA 77th meeting at Chennai approves ABS fund-flow streamlining and revised repository guidelines [S1].

7. Prelims Hooks

NBA is established under Section 8 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 [S5].
NBA is headquartered in Chennai [S1].
Section 27 governs application of NBA funds including ABS amounts [S1][S5].
Section 39 empowers the Centre to notify Designated Repositories [S3][S5].
Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 is Act No. 10 of 2023, gazetted 3 Aug 2023 [S4].
Amendment Act enforced w.e.f. 1 April 2024 [S4].
ABS realised by NBA in FY 2025-26 = ₹21.26 crore [S2].
Cumulative ABS disbursed to benefit claimers = ₹139.69 crore (USD 16.83 mn) [S2].
Parent ministry: MoEFCC (not Ministry of Tribal Affairs / not Ministry of Science) [S1].
India ratified Nagoya Protocol in 2012 [S2].
Three-tier biodiversity governance: NBA – State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) – Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) [S5].
ABS rests on the third CBD objective — fair and equitable sharing of benefits [S2].
NBA's 77th meeting held in Chennai on 23 March 2026 [S1].
Where benefit claimers are unidentifiable, ABS funds go to socio-economic development of the area of origin of the bio-resource [S1].

8. Mains Relevance

GS-III — Conservation, Environmental Pollution; Biodiversity governance and ABS mechanism.
GS-II — International treaties (CBD, Nagoya Protocol); Statutory bodies (NBA); Centre-State relations on environmental subjects.
Probable question stems: 1. "Examine how the Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 advances India's obligations under the Nagoya Protocol." 2. "Critically assess the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 in balancing ease of doing business with conservation imperatives." 3. "Discuss the role of Biodiversity Management Committees in operationalising ABS funds at the grassroots."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

Nagoya Protocol & CBD COPs — international ABS architecture India implements [S2].
Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 — substantive reform; AYUSH carve-outs [S4].
Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) & People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) — grassroots tier [S2].
Forest Rights Act, 2006 — overlapping community rights regime.
TRIPS & Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) — bio-piracy and IPR linkage [S4].
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 — companion statute aligning with CITES.
GBF (Kunming-Montreal) 30x30 target — global biodiversity finance link.
National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) — domestic strategy under CBD.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

NBA is under MoEFCC, NOT Ministry of Tribal Affairs or DBT [S1].
NBA HQ is Chennai, not New Delhi [S1].
Section 27 is on fund application; benefit-sharing terms are determined under Section 21 — do not confuse [S1][S5].
BD (Amendment) Act was passed 2023 but came into force 1 April 2024 — both dates examinable [S4].
"Designated Repositories" (Section 39) ≠ "Notified Threatened Species" (Section 38); both are central-government notifications but on different subjects [S3][S5].
ABS is rooted in CBD/Nagoya, not in WTO-TRIPS (though linkages exist via disclosure of origin debate) [S2].

11. Sources

[S1] Major Policy Drive by NBA to Streamline ABS Fund Utilisation; Guidelines for Designated Repositories Revised — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2253157 — (tier: 1)
[S2] NBA Realises Rs. 21.26 Crore Through ABS in FY 2025-26; India submits 1st National Report under Nagoya Protocol — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2266923 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2240577 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2182001 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2219875 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2228474 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2182372 — (tier: 1)
[S3] National Biodiversity Authority Annual / Repositories reference — https://www.nirantar.moef.gov.in/reports_docs/20240531_132423.pdf — (tier: 1)
[S4] Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act No. 10 of 2023) — https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/2023/247815.pdf — (tier: 1)
[S5] Biological Diversity Act, 2002 — Arrangement of Sections (MoEFCC) — https://moef.gov.in/uploads/2024/07/SL.No.%201%20Biological%20Diversity%20Act%202002.pdf ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1809122 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=67509 — (tier: 1)