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Under which Act does India’s access and benefit-sharing (ABS) mechanism operate?

  1. A.The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
  2. B.The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
  3. C.The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
  4. D.The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980

Correct answer

B. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

Explanation

The correct answer is the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. India’s access and benefit-sharing framework is governed by this Act, as amended in 2023, along with the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024, and the Access and Benefit-Sharing Regulations, 2025. Section 21 of the Act provides for working out a fair and equitable share of the gains that come from using a biological resource, and it is under this clause that the National Biodiversity Authority collects money from companies and passes it to State Biodiversity Boards. The other options deal with different subjects. The Wild Life (Protection) Act covers the protection of wild animals and plants and the management of protected areas, not benefit sharing from genetic resources. The Environment (Protection) Act is the umbrella law on pollution control and environmental standards. The Forest (Conservation) Act governs the diversion of forest land for non-forest use. None of these three sets up a benefit-sharing mechanism or a National Biodiversity Authority.

Read the full article: NBA Releases Rs 1.04 Crore ABS Money to Biodiversity Boards

Practice Questions

Q1.EnvironmentMedium

Which state received the largest share of the access and benefit-sharing amount distributed by the National Biodiversity Authority?

  1. A.Maharashtra
  2. B.Madhya Pradesh
  3. C.Uttar Pradesh
  4. D.Bihar
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Uttar Pradesh

Shares were not handed out equally: the National Biodiversity Authority used an area-based method, so a state’s portion grew with the geographical spread of the crops concerned and the land under them, read off the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Q2.EnvironmentMedium

India’s ABS framework supports Target 13 of which global framework?

  1. A.The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
  2. B.The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
  3. C.The Aichi Biodiversity Targets
  4. D.The Paris Agreement
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Its Target 13 calls for real measures to ensure that the gains from using genetic resources, digital sequence information and the traditional knowledge tied to them are shared fairly and equitably, which is exactly what India’s benefit-sharing payments to State Biodiversity Boards do.

Q3.EnvironmentMedium

Where is the CBD COP 17 side event showcasing India’s biodiversity and ABS work to be held?

  1. A.Cali, Colombia
  2. B.Yerevan, Armenia
  3. C.Montreal, Canada
  4. D.Nagoya, Japan
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Yerevan, Armenia

The side event, titled ‘From Policy to Practice: Advancing India’s Biodiversity Commitments through Innovation, Finance, and ABS’, is scheduled for 28 October 2026 at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and it will set out how India turns its biodiversity promises into action through policy…

Q4.EnvironmentMedium

Which institutions were district administrations asked to link with farmers so that residue management solutions reach them without delay?

  1. A.Custom Hiring Centres and machinery providers
  2. B.Regional rural banks and insurance agents
  3. C.Agricultural produce market committees only
  4. D.Panchayat libraries and cooperative stores
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Custom Hiring Centres and machinery providers

The commission asked the district administrations to strengthen coordination between farmers, Custom Hiring Centres, machinery providers and other stakeholders so that farmers can obtain residue management solutions without waiting.

Q5.EnvironmentMedium

Where did the CAQM team direct that paddy stubble should be used as fuel to the maximum extent?

  1. A.Only in household cooking stoves
  2. B.In thermal power plants, brick kilns and industries
  3. C.In railway locomotives
  4. D.In municipal incinerators alone
Show answer
Correct answer: B. In thermal power plants, brick kilns and industries

The commission emphasised this route and further directed that sector-wise nodal officers be made responsible for the actual use of stubble by their sectors and for monitoring and reporting compliance regularly.