In a major step toward strengthening India’s biodiversity protection efforts, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released ₹39.84 crore to Andhra Pradesh for the conservation of the endangered Red Sanders species. Of this, ₹38.36 crore has been allocated to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department and ₹1.48 crore to the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board.
With this disbursement, India’s Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) payouts have crossed ₹110 crore, marking one of the largest biodiversity-linked fund releases in the country.
Red Sanders, also called Red Sandalwood, is known for its rare deep red timber. The trees grow naturally only in select parts of the Eastern Ghats across Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Prakasam and Kurnool districts. The ABS funds were generated through regulated access and auction of Red Sanders wood by the state forest department, accumulating ₹87.68 crore as benefit-sharing amount.
So far, the NBA has disbursed over ₹49 crore to the forest departments of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha, and to the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board for initiatives related to Red Sanders protection, conservation and research. Additionally, ₹3 crore has been distributed to 198 farmers in Andhra Pradesh and ₹55 lakh to 18 farmers in Tamil Nadu.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a statement that ₹38.36 crore to Andhra Pradesh Forest Department will further empower frontline forest staff, enhance protection measures, encourage scientific management of Red Sanders forests, create livelihood opportunities through Biodiversity Management Committees, and strengthen long-term monitoring programme marking a significant step toward securing a vibrant future for this iconic species.
The NBA has also approved a major initiative to raise one lakh Red Sanders saplings under the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board at a project cost of ₹2 crore. The remaining ₹1.48 crore for this initiative has now been released. These saplings will be supplied to farmers under the Trees Outside Forests programme to expand Red Sanders cultivation beyond its natural habitat.
The NBA said the initiative demonstrates how Access and Benefit Sharing directly contributes to conservation goals while ensuring that local communities, farmers and biodiversity custodians benefit from biodiversity-linked economic activities.