The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has sanctioned Rs 82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board for the protection and propagation of Red Sanders ( Pterocarpus santalinus ), an endemic and endangered species native to the Southern Eastern Ghats.

The initiative aims to raise one lakh saplings to be distributed to farmers under the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) programme, promoting ecological restoration and sustainable livelihoods. The funding, sourced from benefit-sharing contributions by Red Sanders users, exemplifies the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended in 2023), ensuring equitable returns to local communities and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).

Red Sanders, found in Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, and Kur

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