NBA Disburses ₹17 Lakh to BMC Mumbai Under ABS Framework

• NBA releases ₹17 lakh to BMC Mumbai via Maharashtra Biodiversity Board
• Payment under Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism
• Funds linked to commercial use of Bacillus soil micro-organisms
• Maharashtra total ABS support nears ₹8 crore

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th Jan: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has disbursed ₹17 lakh to the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra, under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework, further strengthening India’s efforts toward sustainable use of biological resources and equitable benefit sharing.

The disbursement, routed through the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board, is linked to the successful commercial utilisation of soil micro-organisms belonging to the Bacillus genus. These microbes have been used for developing value-added probiotic products, demonstrating a strong connection between biodiversity conservation and modern biotechnology.

Under the ABS mechanism, a share of commercial gains from biological resources is returned to local communities, supporting grassroots development and empowering Biodiversity Management Committees.

The NBA noted that micro-organisms are increasingly becoming a key driver of innovation in the biotechnology sector, which has contributed around ₹10 crore to the accrued ABS fund. Maharashtra remains the second-largest beneficiary State under ABS releases, after Andhra Pradesh. With this latest release, total ABS support to Maharashtra has reached nearly ₹8 crore, benefiting over 200 BMCs and seven institutions.

At the national level, cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed ₹144.37 crore, reflecting effective implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and advancing India’s commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Nagoya Protocol, while promoting inclusive and sustainable development.