The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 17 lakh to the Biodiversity Management Committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra, supporting India’s efforts to use biological resources responsibly while ensuring local communities share in the benefits, according to a press release issued by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The payment comes as part of a national program that ensures local communities profit when their natural resources are used to create commercial products.
The amount was disbursed through the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board under the country’s Access and Benefit Sharing system. The payment follows the commercial use of soil micro-organisms from the Bacillus group, which were used to develop probiotic products sold in the market.
Under the benefit-sharing system, part of the income earned from using biological resources is returned to local bodies. This approach is meant to link conservation with development and ensure communities benefit when nature-based resources are used for commercial purposes.
The NBA said the biotechnology sector is increasingly using micro-organisms for new products and services. Contributions from this sector have added about Rs 10 crore to the national benefit-sharing fund, showing the growing role of microbes in areas such as health, farming, and industry.
Maharashtra remains the second-largest recipient of benefit-sharing funds in the country, after Andhra Pradesh. Excluding payments linked to Red Sanders wood, Maharashtra has received the highest overall share. With the latest release, total benefit-sharing support to the state has reached nearly Rs 8 crore. These funds have supported more than 200 Biodiversity Management Committees and seven institutions across Maharashtra.
At the national level, total benefit-sharing disbursements have now crossed Rs 144.37 crore, or about 16 million US dollars. The NBA said this reflects steady implementation of India’s biodiversity law and progress toward national and global biodiversity goals.
The authority added that the benefit-sharing system also supports broader development goals by promoting fair use of biological resources, strengthening local institutions, and improving livelihood security. Together, these efforts position India as a leading example in linking biodiversity protection with inclusive growth.
