National Biodiversity Authority releases ₹5.68 crore from Access and Benefit-Sharing fund for biodiversity conservation
Distilled Policy Brief
- The disbursed funds are allocated to State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs), Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBCs), and a national research institute in accordance with the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS), Biological Diversity Act 2002
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Significance of Access and Benefit-Sharing mechanisms in biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management in India.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, consider the following statements: 1. If the accessed biological resources cannot be traced to a specific local community or geographic source, the ABS funds are distributed among the States and Union Territories where the resource is cultivated. 2. The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is authorized to disburse ABS funds to national research institutes for the maintenance of biological resource repositories. 3. The funds received by State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) under the Act can be utilized for documenting and updating People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs). Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
All three statements are correct. Under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, if biological resources are accessed through markets/traders and cannot be linked to a specific community or source, the ABS funds are distributed among the States/UTs where the resource is cultivated. The NBA can also disburse ABS funds to national research institutes (like CSIR-NCL) for maintaining biological repositories. SBBs and UTBCs utilize these funds under Section 32 of the Act for activities including documenting and updating People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs).
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.