India launches five year project worth 40 crore to strengthen biodiversity

New Delhi: In a major push to strengthen biodiversity conservation at the grassroots level, the (MoEFCC) and the (NBA) have launched a five-year national project titled ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Securing Biodiversity Conservation Commitments’.

The project is a joint initiative of the Government of India, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with a grant of USD 4.88 million , (approximately ₹40 crore) and will run from 2025 to 2030.

The project aims to integrate biodiversity conservation into local governance by “greening” Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), while empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) to play a central role in planning and decision-making.

The initiative will be implemented across two ecologically rich landscapes.

In Tamil Nadu, the Sathyamangalam landscape connecting the Western and Eastern Ghats includes the and , where forest-fringe communities will incorporate traditional ecological knowledge into development plans.

In Meghalaya’s Garo Hills, the project covers the , and , promoting community-led conservation through Village Employment Councils functioning on the lines of gram panchayats.

A key component of the project is the introduction of innovative financing mechanisms such as Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) co-financing and green micro-enterprises, aimed at generating sustainable livelihoods linked directly to conservation outcomes.

The programme also places strong emphasis on capacity building, knowledge management and inclusive governance, with a special focus on women, Scheduled Castes and tribal communities, ensuring that conservation benefits are equitably distributed.

The project aligns with India’s Updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP 2024–2030) and contributes to global commitments under the and the , including the ambitious 30×30 conservation target.

Officials said the initiative adopts a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” approach, aiming to bridge policy and grassroots action while strengthening India’s leadership in biodiversity conservation.