NBA Releases Rs 6.2 Cr For Red Sanders Conservation & Farmer Livelihoods

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Dec 11 (KNN) The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 6.2 crore to beneficiaries as on 11 December 2025 under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, an official release said.

The funds aim to support the conservation of the endangered Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) and enhance the livelihoods of farmers and forest-dependent communities across five states.

The latest disbursement has been allocated to State Forest Departments, State Biodiversity Boards, and Red Sanders growers.

Of the Rs 6.2 crore released, Rs 17.8 lakh will go to farmers in Telangana, Rs 1.1 crore to farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Rs 2.98 crore to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Rs 1.05 crore to the Karnataka Forest Department, Rs 69.2 lakh to the Maharashtra Forest Department, Rs 5.8 lakh to the Telangana Forest Department, and Rs 16 lakh to respective state biodiversity boards.

Since the ABS mechanism was operationalised for Red Sanders, the total funds disbursed for its conservation have exceeded Rs 101 crore.

A total of 216 individual farmers 198 in Andhra Pradesh and 18 in Tamil Nadu have benefited under the mechanism, along with the Forest Departments and State Biodiversity Boards of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.

The funds will be used for frontline protection, enhanced patrolling and monitoring, research-driven silvicultural practices, expansion of community-based livelihood programmes, and improving the socio-economic resilience of Red Sanders growers.

With this release, NBA's cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed Rs 127 crore, underscoring India's leadership in implementing fair and equitable benefit-sharing linked to biological resources.

The move also supports targets under the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2030 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, promoting biodiversity conservation while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.

(KNN Bureau)

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