News

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed ₹15.52 crore in Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) proceeds to States and Union Territories on 13 August 2026. The funds come from the commercial use of mustard genetic resources. The NBA shared the amount with 26 State Biodiversity Boards and 3 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils.

Updates

  • Disbursed by: National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
  • Amount: ₹15.52 crore.
  • Recipients: 26 State Biodiversity Boards and 3 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils.
  • Basis: Allocated in proportion to each region's share of India's mustard cultivation area.

About the Disbursement

  • Top Recipients: Rajasthan received ₹6.43 crore, reflecting its 42% share of India's mustard cultivation, followed by Uttar Pradesh (₹2.28 crore), Madhya Pradesh (₹1.86 crore), and Haryana (₹1.21 crore).
  • Source of the Resources: M/s Pioneer Overseas Corporation developed ten mustard varieties using parental lines sourced from open markets and traders, rather than from a single identifiable farmer or community.
  • Allocation Method: Since no specific source could be traced, an expert committee decided to distribute the ABS proceeds proportionately among India's mustard-growing regions.
  • Cumulative Disbursal: The NBA has released ₹182.5 crore in total ABS proceeds so far, including ₹116.22 crore in the preceding twelve months.

About the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

  • The NBA is a statutory body set up under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, to regulate access to India's biological resources and ensure fair benefit-sharing.
  • Function: It approves commercial use of India's genetic resources and ensures companies share resulting profits with the regions the resources came from.
  • Reports to: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

About the Nagoya Protocol

  • The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that sets rules for fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
  • India is a signatory, and the NBA's Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism implements this protocol domestically.