NBA Releases ₹1.19 Cr Benefit-Sharing Funds for Conservation

Why in the News?

The National Biodiversity Authority (**NBA**) has disbursed approximately **₹1.19 crore (₹1,18,61,655)** to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and 1 Union Territory Biodiversity Council under the **Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)** mechanism.

Key Features / Major Points:

- Source of Revenue: The funds were collected from agro-companies (including Syngenta, Limagrain, Corteva, and Crystal Crop Protection) for commercial utilization and research on crops like maize, rice, pearl millet, and cotton.

- Highest Share to Maharashtra: **Maharashtra received the largest share (₹19.46 lakh)**, followed by Rajasthan (₹13.97 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (₹13.32 lakh), and Karnataka (₹10.50 lakh).

- Allocation Methodology: Calculated proportionally using crop cultivation area data from the Ministry of Agriculture's Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics.

- Statutory Guidelines: Mandatory utilization under **Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002** for biodiversity documentation, local governance strengthening, and rural livelihood improvement.

- Cumulative Milestone: Total ABS disbursements by the NBA have surpassed **₹203 crore**, including ₹86 crore from the agricultural sector alone.

- International Context: Coincides with the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (**CBD COP17**) in Yerevan, Armenia.

Static GK Facts:

- National Biodiversity Authority (NBA):

- Established: **2003** (Statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002).

- Headquarters: **Chennai, Tamil Nadu**.

- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

- Biological Diversity Act: Enacted by the Indian Parliament in **2002**.

- Host of CBD COP17 (2026): **Yerevan, Armenia**.

One-Liner Quiz (All Competitive Exams):

Q: How much benefit-sharing fund was recently disbursed by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) to State Biodiversity Boards?

A: ₹1.19 Crore (Largest share: Maharashtra)

Q: Where is the headquarters of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) situated?

A: Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Q: In which year was the Biological Diversity Act enacted in India?

A: 2002

Q: Which country is hosting the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity?

A: Armenia (Yerevan)

#NBA #Biodiversity #ABS #BiologicalDiversityAct #MoEFCC #CBDCOP17 #CurrentAffairs #StaticGK