BIODIVERSITY ACT, 2002

1. It shall be the duty of the National Biodiversity Authority to regulate activities and by regulations issue guidelines for access to biological resources and for fair and equitable benefit sharing.
2. The National Biodiversity Authority may grant approval for undertaking any activity.
3. The National Biodiversity Authority may advise the Central Government on matters relating to the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of biological resources.
4.  The National Biodiversity Authority may advise the State Governments in the selection of areas of biodiversity importance to be notified as heritage sites and measures for the management of such heritage sites.
5. The National Biodiversity Authority may perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
6.  The National Biodiversity Authority may, on behalf of the Central Government, take any measures necessary to oppose the grant of intellectual property rights in any country outside India on any biological resource obtained from India or knowledge associated with such biological resource which is derived from India.

1. Any grants and loans made to the National Biodiversity Authority.
2. All charges and royalties received by the National Biodiversity Authority.
3. All sums received by the National Biodiversity Authority from such other sources as may be decided upon by the Central Government.

1. The State Biodiversity Boards (SBB’S) have the function of advising the State Government on matters of biodiversity and its equitable distribution
2. To the guidelines of the Central Government but more importantly to regulate granting of approvals or requests for commercial utilization of biological resources.
3. The State Boards require a prior intimation for obtaining biological resources only from Indian citizens or corporate associations or organizations registered in India.
4.  This power of the State Biodiversity Boards which is applicable only on Indian citizens or organizations can be easily exploited by vested interests of commercial giants which have substantial overseas shareholders.

Since the grant of approval by the State Boards is only restricted to Indian companies and organizations the tactic of employing commission agents to get this approval is widely used for commercial exploitation as approval from the National Biodiversity Authority implies a cumbersome process requiring strict adherence to established regulations.

1. There shall be constituted a Fund to be called the State Biodiversity Fund and there shall be credited to-
2. Any grants or loans made by the National Biodiversity Authority;
3. All sums received by the State Biodiversity Board from such other sources as may be decided upon by the State Government.

• PRIs/ULBs
• members of the Participatory forest/natural resources management committees’ members,
• members of horticulture/foot botanists/tribal heads, etc., based on the local conditions.

2.   Eco‐restoration of the local biodiversity.

3.   Proper feedback to the SBB in the matter of IPR, Traditional Knowledge and local Biodiversity issues, wherever feasible and essential feedback to be provided to the NBA.

4.   Management of Heritage Sites including Heritage Trees, Animals/ Microorganisms etc., and Sacred Groves and Sacred Water bodies.

5.   Regulation of access to the biological resources and/ or associated Traditional Knowledge, for commercial and research purposes.

6.   Sharing of usufructs arising out of commercial use of bio‐resources.

7.   Conservation of traditional varieties/breeds of economically important plants/animals.

8.   Biodiversity Education and Awareness building.

9.   Documentation, enable procedure to develop bio‐cultural protocols.

10.Sustainable Use and Benefit Sharing.

11.Protection of Traditional Knowledge.