The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), functioning under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has released Rs. 5.68 crore to state and territory bodies responsible for protecting India’s biological wealth. This money comes from companies that have accessed and used India’s plant genetic resources, particularly vegetable seeds. The funds will support conservation projects and community programmes across the country.
How the money is divided and what triggers it
The disbursement follows a mechanism under Indian law that requires companies accessing India’s biological resources to share benefits with the nation. The NBA received payments from seed companies Nunhems India Pvt. Ltd., East West Seeds India Pvt. Ltd., and Bayer Science and Innovation Pvt. Ltd. after they worked with three key crops: Okra (139 varieties and 28 hybrids), Watermelon (662 varieties and 15 hybrids), and Cucumber (1009 varieties and 14 hybrids).
Of the total amount, Rs. 3.51 crore relates to Okra alone and has gone to 32 State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils. Gujarat received the largest share at Rs. 88.79 lakh, followed by West Bengal at Rs. 78.08 lakh and Madhya Pradesh at Rs. 64.90 lakh. The remaining funds went to other states including Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Since the biological resources came through markets and traders rather than directly from identified farmers or communities, the law allows distribution across all states and territories where these crops are grown commercially.
The NBA also disbursed funds to CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory in Pune for work involving microbial resources, following payment received from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
What this means for you
These funds support activities that protect India’s forests and farmland. State governments will use the money for documenting local biodiversity, restoring damaged ecosystems, protecting wild crop relatives, maintaining biodiversity databases, training programmes and community livelihood projects. This represents the system working to ensure that when Indian plants are commercialised globally, benefits return to support conservation and rural communities. The NBA has now disbursed over Rs. 191 crore through this mechanism since it began operations.