NBA Releases Rs 14.88 Crore ABS Funds To Andhra Pradesh For Red Sanders Conservation

Amaravati, Dec 19 (KNN) The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released Rs 14.88 crore (USD 1.65 million) to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department as part of its Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism. 

The funds will support protection, conservation, regeneration, research and development, awareness creation, and capacity-building activities related to Red Sanders, arising from benefit-sharing obligations linked to 29 Form-I applications.

With the latest disbursement, cumulative ABS payouts across the country have exceeded Rs 143 crore (USD 15.8 million). 

Of this, over Rs 104 crore (USD 12.5 million) has been released to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders conservation and benefit claimers. 

Additional disbursements exceeding Rs 15 crore have been made to states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telangana.

Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), valued globally for its distinctive red timber, is endemic to limited regions of the Eastern Ghats, particularly in the Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Prakasam, and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh. 

The ABS contributions stem from the auction of 1,115 tonnes of confiscated Red Sanders wood seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and auctioned through central government agencies such as the State Trading Corporation of India Ltd., MMTC Limited, and PEC Limited.

The ABS funds have also supported research projects on conservation, sustainable use, genetic improvement, and value addition through institutions including ICFRE-IFGTB, ICFRE-IWST, and CSIR-IICB. 

Field surveys across forest divisions documented 1,513 genetic resources with geo-referenced traits and assessed over 15,000 standing trees for variability and reproductive behaviour. 

Efforts are underway to establish a National Red Sanders Field Gene Bank, alongside advances in propagation technologies and seed production guidelines.

Research outcomes have led to the development of value-added products such as soaps, creams, lip care products, and wood coatings. 

Notably, Royalseema RS Soap® has been trademarked, and Royal Red lipstick has met Bureau of Indian Standards specifications, demonstrating translation of research into commercial applications.

The initiative underscores the NBA’s ongoing commitment to fair and equitable benefit sharing, prevention of illegal trade, and strengthening biodiversity governance by reinvesting ABS proceeds into conservation, scientific research, and community-linked development.

(KNN Bureau)