(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Nov 11 (KNN) The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 43.22 lakh under the patent-linked Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism - the first such disbursement in India.

The funds were generated from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) applications that utilised Indian biological resources for patenting and commercialisation.

The initiative aims to ensure equitable sharing of benefits derived from innovations based on India's biological diversity, particularly with local communities, traditional knowledge holders, and custodians who have conserved these resources over generations.

The disbursed amount has been transferred to 16 State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs), including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, for onward release to the respective benefit claimants.

Among the major recipients are the Andhra Pradesh SBB (Rs 20.66 lakh), Tamil Nadu SBB (Rs 16.79 lakh), Odisha SBB (Rs 2.09 lakh), Uttar Pradesh SBB (Rs 0.91 lakh), and Madhya Pradesh SBB (Rs 0.79 lakh).

Once transferred to the Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), the funds will be utilised for biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, and community livelihood enhancement.

Proposed activities include maintaining and updating People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs), documenting traditional knowledge, and supporting local conservation efforts.

(KNN Bureau)

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