National Biodiversity Authority sanctions ₹82 lakh for Red Sanders conservation in Andhra Pradesh
The National Biodiversity Authority announced on 29 September 2025 that it has sanctioned ₹82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board to raise one lakh Red Sanders saplings under the Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism.
Summary
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), headquartered in Chennai, announced on 29 September 2025 that it has sanctioned ₹82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board for conserving Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), a plant endemic to the region. The money will be used to raise one lakh Red Sanders saplings for supply to farmers under the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) programme. The funds come from the benefit-sharing amount collected from users of Red Sanders, under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, as amended in 2023. Red Sanders is native to the southern Eastern Ghats, particularly the Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa and Kurnool districts.
Key facts
- Sanctioned by
- National Biodiversity Authority (HQ: Chennai)
- Amount / recipient
- ₹82 lakh to Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board
- Species
- Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), endemic
- Target
- 1 lakh saplings for farmers – Trees Outside Forests
- Law
- ABS under Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended 2023)
- Native range
- Southern Eastern Ghats – Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool
Practice MCQs 3 questions
What is the scientific name of Red Sanders, for whose conservation the National Biodiversity Authority sanctioned ₹82 lakh in September 2025?
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Correct answer: A — Pterocarpus santalinus
Red Sanders is Pterocarpus santalinus; Santalum album is white sandalwood.
Where is the headquarters of the National Biodiversity Authority, which sanctioned funds for Red Sanders conservation in 2025?
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Correct answer: C — Chennai
The NBA is headquartered in Chennai.
Consider the following statements about the NBA's Red Sanders sanction of September 2025: 1. The funds came from the state government's forest budget. 2. The Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism used is provided under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — Neither 1 nor 2
Both are wrong: the funds came from the benefit-sharing amount collected from users of Red Sanders, and ABS is a mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended 2023).