Press Information Bureau

In a significant step towards empowering local communities and facilitating equitable benefit sharing, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released a sum of Rs. 67 lakhs to the Dapur Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC), located in Sinnar Taluk, Nashik District, Maharashtra, through the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board.

The NBA, established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, is entrusted with the crucial responsibility of regulating access to India’s vast biological resources and associated traditional knowledge. The Authority also ensures that benefits arising from the commercial utilization of these resources are shared fair and equitably with the beneficiaries including local communities, in line with the principles of equity, sustainability and conservation.

In this instance, a company accessed microorganisms from the soil in Dapur Grampanchayat and subsequently developed probiotic supplementary products. The Access and Benefit Sharing amount released by NBA reflects the benefits accrued from this commercial use and is designated for activities outlined under Section 44 of the Biological Diversity Act and the Maharashtra Biological Diversity Rules.

This initiative exemplifies NBA’s commitment to ensuring that the custodians of India’s biological wealth, its local communities, receive rightful recognition and benefits. By doing so, the Authority continues to reinforce India’s vision of a sustainable and inclusive biodiversity management framework, where conservation and community prosperity go hand in hand.

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