Law and statutory body
National Biodiversity Authority and Access and Benefit Sharing
GS3 Environment · BiodiversityGS2 Statutory bodiesPrelims and Mains
- Why in news
- On 1 April 2026, the Environment Ministry said IPR applications linked to Indian biological resources rose after the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023. The NBA received 1,077 applications in 2025-26, up from about 857 in 2024-25.
- What it is
- The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, headquartered in Chennai. It regulates access to India's biological resources and associated knowledge by commercial users and foreign entities. Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) requires users to share benefits with the providers and local communities, in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol.
- Amount and recipients
- Rs 1.19 crore went to 29 State Biodiversity Boards and one UT Biodiversity Council.
- Basis of allocation
- Because resources were bought through markets or traders, individual benefit claimers could not be identified. Shares were set in proportion to estimated cultivation areas.
- Use of funds
- Funds must be used only for activities under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- Legal basis and seat
- NBA was set up under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and is headquartered in Chennai.
- COP 17
- COP 17 of the CBD is scheduled for 19-30 October 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia.
- Top sector
- The agri-seed sector gave the largest share, Rs 7.16 crore, followed by food and beverages.
- Cumulative since 2008
- NBA has realised about Rs 278 crore through ABS and disbursed over Rs 200 crore for conservation and benefit claimers.
- Disbursal route
- Funds go through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils to support People's Biodiversity Registers and Biodiversity Management Committees.
- Legal basis and HQ
- NBA is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, headquartered in Chennai.
- Amended framework
- The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 have strengthened the framework under the 2002 Act. States are urged to align their rules with it.
- ABS funds shared
- The NBA has shared over ₹200 crore of ABS funds with farmers, communities, BMCs, SBBs, UTBCs and research institutions.
- Local bodies
- The Minister called for making the more than 2.76 lakh Biodiversity Management Committees functional.
- International reporting
- India submitted its 7th National Report to the CBD and its 1st National Report on the Nagoya Protocol.
- NBA basis and seat
- The NBA is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, headquartered in Chennai.
- Amount sanctioned
- ₹8.23 crore was sanctioned to 27 State Biodiversity Boards and 5 UT Biodiversity Councils, from bitter gourd, okra, chilli and onion.
- Distribution basis
- The resources came from the open market or traders, so no individual providers could be traced. Shares go to States by area under cultivation, as published by the Agriculture Ministry.
- Legal basis
- The NBA was established in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and is headquartered in Chennai. It is a statutory, autonomous body.
- Three-tier structure
- The Act sets up the NBA at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards in States, and Biodiversity Management Committees at local body level.
- Okra component
- The largest part is for okra: Rs. 3.51 crore released to 32 SBBs and UTBCs, from money paid by Nunhems India.
- Distribution modality
- Since the resources came from markets and traders, the share is split among States and UTs where the resource is cultivated, as recommended by an Expert Committee and approved by the Authority.
- Cumulative total
- Total ABS disbursed by the NBA has crossed Rs. 191 crore.
- Amount and source
- Rs. 15.52 crore came from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, which developed ten mustard hybrids using Indian biological resources.
- Intermediary rule
- Where the resource came through intermediaries, ABS is shared among the SBBs/UTBCs of the areas where it is cultivated.
- Unidentified source of access
- Where resources were accessed via markets, traders or intermediaries, the source could not be identified, so the NBA used benefit-sharing modalities prepared by an Expert Committee.
- Basis of distribution
- Money was shared among SBBs/UTBCs of States where the crops are grown, using cultivation-area data of the Agriculture Ministry.
- Local structures
- State Biodiversity Boards and Biodiversity Management Committees are set up under the Act; the NBA is at the national level.
- Payer
- The money came from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, an international seed company that used Indian rice varieties to develop hybrids.
- State share basis
- Rs 5.75 crore went to 33 State Biodiversity Boards and UT Councils, allocated by each State's rice-growing area. Uttar Pradesh got the most.
- Global link
- The initiative contributes to Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, on fair and equitable benefit sharing.
- Headquarters
- The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
- Where the money goes
- If the geographical source of a resource can be established, the ABS amount goes to the State Biodiversity Boards. If not, it stays in the National Biodiversity Fund under Section 27 of the Act.
- Basis of State shares
- State allocation is proportional to each State's area under cotton, using AICRP (ICAR) data.
- Total released
- Total ABS funds released by the NBA have reached Rs 152.24 crore.
- Effect of notification
- Notification regulates or prohibits collection of the species and provides for its rehabilitation and conservation. The Centre may delegate the power to States.
- Numbers notified
- 159 plant and 173 animal species notified as threatened, across 17 States and 3 UTs.
- Who the SOP helps
- It assists State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils, which recommend species to the State Government for notification.
- Link to ABS Regulations
- The 2025 ABS Regulations treat benefit-sharing differently where the resource belongs to a species notified as threatened under Section 38.
- Money realized
- NBA has realized over Rs 266 crore through ABS since 2008, including Rs 21.26 crore in FY 2025-26.
- Transfer rule
- Under the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024, NBA transfers 85-90 per cent of the ABS amount to State Biodiversity Boards for disbursal.
- Reach
- Benefits reached over 10,500 Biodiversity Management Committees across 23 States and 4 Union Territories.
- Leadership
- Dr P. L. Gautam, a former head of the NBA and PPVFRA, chairs the committee. The PPVFRA Chairperson is Co-Chair.
- Age of the committee
- It has been an advisory body of the NBA since 2005 and is reconstituted periodically.
- Scope of work
- It examines seed sector issues, reviews guidelines for international collaborative research, and recommends measures to conserve threatened native crop varieties and livestock breeds.
- International link
- The committee gives inputs on India's engagement with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).
- NBA headquarters
- The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
- People's Biodiversity Register
- A BMC prepares the PBR in consultation with local people. It records resources, habitats, landraces and traditional knowledge.
- National Biodiversity Authority Fund
- The NBAF is a statutory fund created under section 27 of the Act. It supports benefit sharing and conservation.
- Section 39 repositories
- The Central Government can designate institutions as repositories for biological resources. Twenty institutions have been designated so far.
- Nagoya Protocol
- It is a legally binding supplementary agreement to the CBD, adopted in October 2010 at COP-10 in Nagoya, on fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
- Prior registration for IPR
- Applicants covered under Section 7 must get a Certificate of Registration from the NBA before seeking IPR, including patents, based on Indian biological resources.
- 2025-26 numbers
- The NBA received 1,077 IPR applications and issued 885 CoRs between April 2025 and March 2026.
- 2024-25 numbers
- Around 857 IPR applications were received and 792 CoRs issued from April 2024 to March 2025.
- International basis
- The Act implements the Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992; the Nagoya Protocol (2010) deals with access and benefit sharing.
- Who got the money
- Biodiversity Management Committees in 24 districts across nine States and one Union Territory received the current release. One Haryana dairy farmer was also paid for supplying Murrah buffalo.
- Cumulative ABS
- Total ABS disbursements at the national level have crossed ₹145 crore, about USD 16 million.
- Resources behind the funds
- The funds came from commercial use of microorganisms, marine microalgae and seaweed, among others, plus plants such as Tulsi, Moringa, neem and ashwagandha.
- International commitments
- The NBA implements India's obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol, and contributes to the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Who receives benefits
- Benefits go to institutes, local communities, farmers and Biodiversity Management Committees that provided the parental lines of seeds.
- Payout
- NBA released Rs 45.05 lakh through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils to benefit claimers.
- Resources used
- Benefits came from insects, soil and water microorganisms and cultivated Red Sanders.
- International links
- NBA advances India's obligations under the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol on ABS.
- Amount released
- The NBA released Rs 17 lakh to the Mumbai civic body's Biodiversity Management Committee, routed through the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board.
- Source of benefit
- The money comes from the commercial use of soil micro-organisms of the Bacillus genus in probiotic products.
- National total
- Cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed Rs 144.37 crore, about USD 16 million.
- Maharashtra's position
- Maharashtra is the second major beneficiary State, next to Andhra Pradesh, whose figure is driven by Red Sanders.
- Global frameworks
- The outcomes are linked to Targets 13 and 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Latest payout
- The NBA released ₹45 lakh to Andhra Pradesh farmers through the State Biodiversity Board.
- Statutory status and seat
- The NBA is a statutory body under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, with headquarters in Chennai.
- Red Sanders share
- Over ₹104 crore of the total has gone to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders conservation, protection and benefit claimers.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs SBB vs BMC: NBA is the national body. State Biodiversity Boards work at State level. Biodiversity Management Committees are local bodies under the same Act.
Don’t confuse with CBD vs Nagoya Protocol: The CBD is the parent treaty. The Nagoya Protocol is its supplementary agreement on access and fair benefit sharing.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs State Biodiversity Board: NBA is the national regulator at Chennai. State Biodiversity Boards regulate use by Indians at the state level and channel benefits.
Don’t confuse with Nagoya Protocol vs Cartagena Protocol: Nagoya concerns access and benefit sharing of genetic resources. Cartagena concerns the biosafety of living modified organisms.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs National Green Tribunal: The NBA is a regulator under the Biological Diversity Act. The NGT is a judicial body under the NGT Act, 2010.
Don’t confuse with Nagoya Protocol vs Kunming-Montreal Framework: Nagoya is a legal protocol on ABS under the CBD; the Kunming-Montreal Framework is a 2022 global target set, with Target 13 on benefit sharing.
Don’t confuse with Section 38 vs IUCN Red List: Section 38 notification is a legal act under Indian law that restricts collection. The IUCN Red List is a global assessment with no legal force in India.
Don’t confuse with Section 38 vs Wild Life (Protection) Act Schedules: Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act covers threatened species and regulates collection; the Wild Life (Protection) Act uses Schedules to protect wild animals and plants.
Don’t confuse with Rs 266 crore vs Rs 145 crore: Rs 266 crore is realized from users; Rs 145 crore is what has been disbursed to beneficiaries so far.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs PPVFRA: The NBA works under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and regulates access and benefit sharing. The PPVFRA works under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 and registers plant varieties and protects farmers' rights.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs State Biodiversity Boards: The NBA is the national body. State Biodiversity Boards regulate certain uses within their states, and Biodiversity Management Committees work at the local level.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs State Biodiversity Boards vs BMCs: The NBA is national, the SBBs work at state level, and BMCs are local bodies that prepare PBRs.
Don’t confuse with Convention on Biological Diversity vs Nagoya Protocol: The CBD is the parent treaty of 1992. The Nagoya Protocol is its supplementary agreement dealing specifically with access and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs SBB: NBA is the national regulator. State Biodiversity Boards regulate at State level, and BMCs work at local body level.
Don’t confuse with NBA vs Biodiversity Management Committees: Biodiversity Management Committees are local-level bodies that document local biodiversity. The NBA and State Boards sit above them.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Channels commercial gains from biological resources back to conservation and local communities.
- Shows agriculture as a new source of ABS funds, supporting agricultural biodiversity.
- ABS ties commercial use of biological resources to conservation and local community benefit.
- It operationalises India's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol.
- ABS funds can give tangible benefits to communities and link livelihoods to conservation.
- Aligned State rules help implement India's CBD and Nagoya Protocol commitments uniformly.
- Turns the fair and equitable benefit-sharing principle into money reaching States for conservation and communities.
- Supports India's commitments under the CBD, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Framework Target 13.
- Channels commercial gains from biological resources back to conservation and communities.
- Strengthens State-level institutions for biodiversity documentation and restoration.
- Channels commercial gains from genetic resources to conservation and local communities.
- Puts the Nagoya Protocol and Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Framework into practice.
- Links commercial use of genetic resources to community welfare and conservation funding.
- Supports India's commitments under the Nagoya Protocol and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Turns commercial use of genetic resources into funds for conservation and for research institutions.
- Shows India applying the Nagoya Protocol's benefit-sharing principle in practice.
- Reinvests commercial gains from biological resources into conservation and local livelihoods.
- Gives a workable model for benefit sharing when resources come through traders and no claimant can be identified.
- Uniform scientific method for States can reduce arbitrary or delayed listing of threatened species.
- Supports India's NBSAP 2024-2030 Target 4 and the Kunming-Montreal Framework.
- Links conservation to community income, backing the idea that those who protect biodiversity should gain from its use.
- Helps India meet Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Target 13 commitments.
- Links agricultural research and seed exports with biodiversity law and benefit sharing.
- Supports conservation of native crop varieties and livestock breeds, which aids climate-resilient farming.
- Gives a legal route for local communities to share in profits from their biological resources and knowledge.
- Local registers and BMCs bring community participation into conservation.
- Prior registration links patents to benefit sharing, checking biopiracy of India's biological resources and traditional knowledge.
- Clear approval pathways ease research and industry access while keeping conservation aims.
- ABS gives local communities a direct economic reason to conserve biodiversity.
- It helps India meet its CBD, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming–Montreal commitments.
- ABS payments give money to local communities and farmers who hold biological resources and knowledge, linking livelihoods to conservation.
- It shows India implementing its Nagoya Protocol obligations through domestic law.
- ABS payments give communities a share of commercial gains, which links livelihoods to conservation.
- It supports India's commitments under the CBD, Nagoya Protocol and Kunming-Montreal Framework.
- Links conservation with local livelihoods by returning a share of commercial gains to communities.
- Shows microbial resources have commercial value, and strengthens India's case under the CBD and Nagoya Protocol.
- Links conservation of an endangered, endemic species with direct income for farmers.
- Puts into practice the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from biological resources.
Problems
- When resources are bought through traders, actual providers cannot be identified, so area-based proxies are used.
- Amounts are small relative to the commercial value of biological resources.
- Receipts are small and concentrated in a few sectors and firms, mainly agri-seed.
- Local communities and BMCs may have weak capacity to document knowledge and claim benefits.
- Many Biodiversity Management Committees exist on paper but are not functional.
- States and UTs need to align rules and build capacity, and People’s Biodiversity Registers need better quality.
- When resources are bought on the open market, source communities cannot be identified, so area-based sharing may miss real knowledge holders.
- State boards and local committees have uneven capacity to use funds and keep People's Biodiversity Registers updated.
- Market-sourced resources cannot be traced to specific farmers or communities, so benefits reach States rather than holders of knowledge.
- Capacity of SBBs and local committees to document and use funds well is uneven.
- Where sources are traders and intermediaries, individual providers cannot be traced, so benefits reach States, not communities.
- Funds may be poorly used by Boards and local committees if registers and Biodiversity Management Committees are weak.
- Resources accessed through markets and traders make the original source hard to trace, forcing area-based sharing.
- Small local bodies may lack capacity to use funds well or reach the actual custodian communities.
- Few users come forward, so compliance depends on detecting unreported use of resources.
- Funds may not reach local farmers and knowledge holders who conserved the varieties.
- Tracing the source of resources that pass through traders and intermediaries is hard.
- Individual conservers and communities may not receive direct benefit when funds go to State boards.
- Many States lack taxonomic expertise and data to assess species; only 17 States and 3 UTs have notified species so far.
- Notification may restrict local communities' collection of resources, risking livelihood conflicts.
- Collections are concentrated: Red Sanders, seeds and pharma/AYUSH give about 91 per cent, so the base is narrow.
- Rs 266 crore realized against Rs 145 crore disbursed shows a gap, and funds pass through several layers before reaching communities.
- Balancing ABS compliance with the freedom of agricultural research and plant breeding.
- The committee is advisory only, and its term is short at one year.
- Many BMCs and PBRs may exist on paper only, with uneven quality and updating.
- Balancing research and industry access against fair benefit sharing is difficult.
- Balancing ease of doing business with strict benefit sharing to local communities.
- Weak capacity of Biodiversity Management Committees and uneven documentation of traditional knowledge.
- Not all applications get CoRs, so processing time and compliance burden remain concerns.
- The amount paid so far is small compared with the scale of commercial use and the number of BMCs.
- Many BMCs have weak capacity, thin documentation and poor People's Biodiversity Registers, which delays benefit claims.
- Compliance depends on companies applying; the NBA itself urges all sectors to comply.
- Benefits must actually reach grassroot providers through BMCs, and procedures must stay simple without weakening safeguards.
- Many benefit claimers and BMCs are yet to document resources or receive payments.
- Simplified rules for ease of doing business must not dilute community interests.
- Payouts are uneven across States and depend on a few high-value resources such as Red Sanders.
- Many Biodiversity Management Committees have limited capacity to document resources and use funds well.
- Benefit claimers must be identified and reached, and delays in payouts can weaken trust.
- Illegal trade in Red Sanders continues to threaten the species.
Way forward
- Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and People's Biodiversity Registers to identify benefit claimers.
- Improve compliance monitoring and transparent tracking of fund use by State Boards.
- Strengthen BMCs and People's Biodiversity Registers so communities can claim benefits.
- Widen compliance monitoring and tracking of users across sectors, including AYUSH and biotechnology.
- Train and fund BMCs, and make People’s Biodiversity Registers dynamic inputs for local planning.
- Ensure transparent ABS distribution so benefits reach local communities.
- Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and PBRs so providers can be traced and paid directly.
- Publish State-wise utilisation data and audit how funds are spent.
- Ensure funds reach Biodiversity Management Committees and local communities, with public reporting of use.
- Complete People's Biodiversity Registers and strengthen monitoring of ABS agreements.
- Build capacity of State Boards and Biodiversity Management Committees and track fund use under Section 32.
- Strengthen documentation through People's Biodiversity Registers so sources can be traced.
- Strengthen People's Biodiversity Registers and BMCs so benefits reach local custodians directly.
- Improve traceability and monitoring of how States use ABS funds.
- Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and People's Biodiversity Registers so local holders can claim benefits.
- Track fund use by State Boards and report it publicly.
- Strengthen People's Biodiversity Registers and Biodiversity Management Committees so that sources can be documented.
- Track how State Biodiversity Boards use the funds.
- Build capacity of State Biodiversity Boards with BSI, ZSI and academic institutions, and involve Biodiversity Management Committees.
- Follow notification with funded recovery plans, regular monitoring and periodic review.
- Widen compliance across more sectors and users, and track unreported use of biological resources.
- Speed up and publish disbursal to BMCs, and strengthen their capacity and People's Biodiversity Registers.
- Give clear and consistent guidance on seed exports and collaborative research approvals.
- Align ABS rules with the ITPGRFA and farmers' rights.
- Update, verify and digitise PBRs and link them to the ABS portal.
- Build capacity of BMCs so benefits reach communities.
- Strengthen BMCs and People's Biodiversity Registers so benefits reach local communities.
- Ensure timely, transparent disposal of applications and track benefit-sharing outcomes publicly.
- Strengthen BMCs with training, funding and updated People's Biodiversity Registers.
- Improve tracking of commercial users so that benefit-sharing is paid on time and transparently.
- Strengthen BMCs and people's biodiversity registers so providers can be identified and paid.
- Widen compliance across sectors while keeping procedures simple and transparent.
- Strengthen BMCs and complete People's Biodiversity Registers with traditional knowledge.
- Build awareness and capacity among communities and industry for timely ABS compliance.
- Strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees and People's Biodiversity Registers to track resource use.
- Improve monitoring of commercial users so that benefit-sharing agreements are enforced, and spread payouts more widely.
- Widen benefit sharing to more States and communities, and make payouts timely.
- Strengthen documentation of local biodiversity and traceability of lawful Red Sanders trade.
Put in your answer
Section 32(2) activities: Funds go to documentation, conservation, local governance, research, capacity building and livelihoods.
Cumulative ABS: About Rs 278 crore realised since 2008, with over Rs 200 crore disbursed to benefit claimers.
ABS distribution: The NBA has shared over ₹200 crore of ABS funds with communities, local bodies and institutions.
ABS milestone: Cumulative NBA ABS disbursement now exceeds ₹200 crore.
Example of area-based sharing: Maharashtra gets a large share because it holds over 49 per cent of India's onion area.
Global target: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 13 calls for fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
ABS total: NBA has disbursed over Rs. 191 crore of ABS funds so far.
Okra example: Okra: Rs. 3.51 crore released to 32 SBBs and UTBCs, showing the market-sourced distribution modality.
Expert Committee modality: For resources accessed via intermediaries, benefit is shared among States where the resource is cultivated.
Global framework: The release links ABS to Targets 13 and 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Rice ABS payment: Rs 8.22 crore was shared from one seed company's use of Indian rice varieties, split between research institutions and State Boards.
Total ABS disbursed: Total NBA ABS disbursements across all sectors have crossed Rs 162 crore.
Global Biodiversity Framework: The initiative contributes to Kunming-Montreal Target 13 on fair sharing of benefits and Target 4 on conserving genetic diversity.
Species notified so far: 159 plant and 173 animal species notified as threatened across 17 States and 3 UTs.
NBSAP 2024-2030 Target 4: Target 4 aims to halt human-induced extinction, promote species recovery and maintain genetic diversity.
Local use of funds: Funds support medicinal plant parks, community gene banks and updating People's Biodiversity Registers.
Expert committees under Section 13: The NBA uses Section 13(1) to set up expert committees for specialised advice, as with agrobiodiversity.
ABS benefits released: Nearly Rs 145 crore has been released to beneficiaries, reaching about 11,000 BMCs.
ABS disbursement: Cumulative ABS payouts have passed ₹145 crore, showing the mechanism works at a modest scale.
Biological Diversity Act, 2002: The Act is India's law implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity and creates the three-tier institutional structure.
ABS payments to date: Cumulative ABS payments have crossed Rs 145 crore, about USD 16 million.
ABS disbursement total: Cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed Rs 144.37 crore, which can be cited as evidence of the Act's working.
Biotechnology contribution: The biotechnology sector has contributed about Rs 10 crore to the accrued ABS fund.
ABS releases to date: India's cumulative ABS releases exceed ₹143.5 crore, with most going to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders.
Recent payouts: In three months, ₹5.35 crore went to over 220 Red Sanders farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
- 2018Mains GS3 · Q17Biodiversity variation in India and how Biological Diversity Act helps conservation
- 2026Mains GS3 · Q8Kunming-Montreal framework aims, and India's commitments and initiatives
- 2019Mains GS3 · Q15How government protects traditional medicine knowledge from pharmaceutical patenting
- 2024Mains GS3 · Q5IPR on life materials and reasons for poor commercialization of Indian patents
- 2015Mains GS3 · Q14TKDL medicinal database: pros and cons of open-source public release
- 2023Prelims Q79Whether Biodiversity Management Committees key to Nagoya Protocol and can levy access fees
- 2012Prelims Q3How NBA protects agriculture: biopiracy checks, monitoring research, IPR approval
- 2011Prelims Q79What IUCN Red Data Books contain: threatened species lists
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Single answer
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
With reference to the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism in India, consider the following statements: 1. The NBA is a statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. 2. The headquarters of the NBA is in New Delhi. 3. In the latest disbursal, allocations to States were made in proportion to the estimated cultivation areas of the biological resources. 4. The funds disbursed to State Biodiversity Boards must be used exclusively for activities specified under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. How many of the above statements are correct?
How many of the above statements are correct?
True or false?
1 of 53
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The National Biodiversity Authority is a statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. NBA is created by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
2.The headquarters of the National Biodiversity Authority is in New Delhi.
False. NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
3.In the latest disbursal, allocations to States were made in proportion to the estimated cultivation areas of the biological resources.
True. Allocation followed estimated cultivation area, using official agricultural statistics.
4.The funds disbursed to State Biodiversity Boards must be used exclusively for activities specified under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. Use of funds is restricted to Section 32(2) activities.
5.The Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism of the NBA gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. The Nagoya Protocol on ABS is a protocol to the CBD; India's ABS regime implements it.
6.The seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD is scheduled to be held in India.
False. COP 17 is scheduled in Yerevan, Armenia, 19-30 October 2026.
7.The National Biodiversity Authority is headquartered in New Delhi.
False. NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
8.ABS funds are disbursed through State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils.
True. Disbursal goes through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils.
9.Biodiversity Management Committees are constituted at the local body level under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. The Act provides for BMCs at local body level to promote conservation and document biodiversity through People's Biodiversity Registers.
10.The ABS mechanism in India is meant to give effect to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing.
True. The Nagoya Protocol, under the CBD, deals with access and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
11.The headquarters of the National Biodiversity Authority is in Bengaluru.
False. The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
12.In the latest disbursement, the benefit share was distributed among States according to the area under cultivation of the crops.
True. Distribution was based on area under cultivation published by the Agriculture Ministry.
13.The funds received by State Biodiversity Boards must be used for activities listed under Section 32(2) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. Section 32(2) lists permitted uses such as PBRs, conservation and livelihoods.
14.The latest ABS proceeds were realised from farmers who had supplied the crops directly to seed companies.
False. The resources were accessed through the open market or traders, so individual farmers could not be traced.
15.The ABS framework under the Biological Diversity Act gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing is a CBD protocol that India implements through the Act and ABS regulations.
16.Biodiversity Management Committees are constituted by the National Biodiversity Authority at the State level.
False. BMCs are set up by local bodies at village, panchayat or municipal level; State Biodiversity Boards operate at State level.
17.The funds disbursed to State Biodiversity Boards are to be utilised as per Section 32 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
True. Section 32 governs use of the benefit-sharing funds by SBBs and UTBCs.
18.The Access and Benefit-Sharing regime in India gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. ABS rules implement the CBD's Nagoya Protocol.
19.The largest ABS component in this disbursement relates to watermelon.
False. The largest component relates to okra (Rs. 3.51 crore).
20.Among the major recipients in this disbursement, Gujarat received the highest amount, followed by West Bengal.
True. Gujarat got Rs. 88.79 lakh and West Bengal Rs. 78.09 lakh.
21.In the mustard case, the ABS share of each State was calculated on the basis of the area under mustard cultivation in it.
True. Shares were based on each State's mustard cultivation area.
22.In the mustard case, the ABS amount was paid directly to the farmers who supplied the parental lines.
False. The parental lines came from the open market and traders, so no farmer or community could be identified; money went to State Boards and UT Councils.
23.Utilisation of ABS money by State Biodiversity Boards is governed by Section 32 of the Biological Diversity Act.
True. Section 32 governs use of the funds.
24.The Nagoya Protocol deals with fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
True. The Nagoya Protocol is the CBD's ABS protocol.
25.The cultivation-area data used to calculate the State shares was sourced from the National Biodiversity Authority's own survey.
False. The figures came from ICAR-Indian Institute of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur.
26.The National Biodiversity Authority is headquartered in Chennai.
True. NBA headquarters is in Chennai.
27.India's Access and Benefit Sharing framework is aligned with the Nagoya Protocol.
True. The ABS framework follows the Nagoya Protocol.
28.Where the original source of access cannot be identified, the benefit-sharing amount is retained by the NBA and not passed to State Biodiversity Boards.
False. The NBA adopted Expert Committee modalities and disbursed the amount among SBBs/UTBCs of crop-growing States.
29.In the latest release, the amount was shared among States in proportion to cultivation-area data published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
True. Distribution used cultivation-area data of the Agriculture Ministry.
30.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 gives effect to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
True. The CBD was opened for signature at Rio in 1992 and the Act implements it in India.
31.The recipient boards may use the funds only for cash payments to individual farmers and not for conservation work.
False. Funds go to People's Biodiversity Registers, in-situ and ex-situ conservation, Biodiversity Heritage Sites, BMC capacity building and community development.
32.The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's Target 13 deals with fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
True. Target 13 covers benefit sharing from genetic resources.
33.The National Biodiversity Authority is headquartered in Hyderabad.
False. The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
34.Where the geographical source of a biological resource cannot be established, the ABS funds are retained in the National Biodiversity Fund.
True. Such funds stay in the National Biodiversity Fund and are used under Section 27 of the Act.
35.The Nagoya Protocol deals with the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the utilisation of genetic resources.
True. The Nagoya Protocol, under the Convention on Biological Diversity, covers access and benefit sharing.
36.The National Biodiversity Authority functions under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
False. The NBA functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
37.Section 38 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 deals with the notification of threatened species.
True. Section 38 covers notification of threatened species.
38.The Central Government may delegate its power to notify threatened species to State Governments.
True. The Act allows delegation of this power to States.
39.Notification of a species as threatened can regulate or prohibit its collection.
True. Notification regulates or prohibits collection and provides for rehabilitation.
40.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 provides for State Biodiversity Boards and local Biodiversity Management Committees besides the NBA.
True. The Act has a three-tier structure: NBA, State Biodiversity Boards, Biodiversity Management Committees.
41.The 2025 ABS Regulations apply identical benefit-sharing obligations to all biological resources, including threatened species.
False. They provide differential treatment where resources belong to species notified as threatened under Section 38.
42.The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity dealing with access and benefit sharing.
True. Nagoya Protocol supplements the CBD on ABS.
43.Under the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024, NBA transfers 85-90 per cent of the ABS amount to State Biodiversity Boards for onward disbursal.
True. 85-90 per cent goes to State Biodiversity Boards.
44.Seeds accounted for the largest share of ABS realization, ahead of Red Sanders.
False. Red Sanders was largest at Rs 120 crore (45 per cent); seeds were second at 32.3 per cent.
45.The ABS framework contributes to Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on fair and equitable benefit sharing.
True. Target 13 of the KMGBF concerns benefit sharing.
46.Benefits under the ABS framework have so far reached Biodiversity Management Committees in all States and Union Territories.
False. They reached over 10,500 BMCs across 23 States and 4 Union Territories.
47.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 provides for Biodiversity Management Committees at the level of local bodies.
True. BMCs are the local-level tier under the Act.
48.The Nagoya Protocol, which the Biological Diversity Act helps implement, deals with the conservation of wetlands.
False. The Nagoya Protocol deals with access to genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits; wetlands fall under the Ramsar Convention.
49.Benefit-sharing payments reach Biodiversity Management Committees through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils.
True. NBA disbursed the amount through State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils.
50.The Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism in India gives effect to the Nagoya Protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
True. NBA advances India's obligations under the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol on ABS.
51.Cumulative ABS payments made through the NBA have crossed Rs 145 crore.
True. Cumulative ABS payments crossed Rs 145 crore, about USD 16 million.
52.Biodiversity Management Committees are constituted by the Central Government at the national level.
False. BMCs are constituted by local bodies under the Act.
53.The latest payout was generated only from wild-collected Red Sanders and did not involve microorganisms.
False. It also came from insects and microorganisms in soil and water, and Red Sanders was cultivated.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
The National Biodiversity Authority received Rs 9.68 crore in Access and Benefit Sharing payments in April-September 2026, mostly from the agri-seed sector. Examine the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 on access and benefit sharing and discuss the challenges in ensuring that local communities benefit from the use of India's biological resources.
Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 1 Apr, 08:50 IST · Release 287213
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