Biodiversity management committees(BMC)

News:The National Biodiversity Authority(NBA) has told the National Green Tribunal(NGT) that it has created around 2.4 lakh biodiversity management committees(BMC) as of January 2020.

Facts:

About Biodiversity management committees(BMC):

• The Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) are statutory bodies that are formed by the local bodies under Biological Diversity Act 2002.

Composition:

• The BMC consists of a Chairperson and six persons nominated by local bodies, including 1/3rd women and 18% SC/ST.

Functions:

• Prepare People’s Biodiversity Register in consultation with the local people. 
• Conservation and sustainable utilization of biological resources.
• Advice on any matter referred to it by the State Biodiversity Board or Authority for granting approval.
• Biodiversity education and awareness building.
• Maintain a Register giving information about the details of access to biological resources and related traditional knowledge among others.

Additional information:

About Biological Diversity Act,2002:

• The Biological Diversity Act,2002 is an Act of the Parliament for preservation of biological diversity in India.
• It provides for a mechanism for equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of traditional biological resources and knowledge.
• The Act was enacted to meet the obligations under Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD) to which India is a part in 2002.