Delhi: In a significant move to protect endangered red sanders, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) on Friday announced the release of ₹39.84 crore to Andhra Pradesh. This allocation designates ₹38.36 crore for the state’s Forest Department and ₹1.48 crore for the State Biodiversity Board, pushing the total funds disbursed under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework past the ₹110 crore mark nationwide—a major milestone in biodiversity conservation.
According to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), prized for its deep red heartwood, is a rare species naturally endemic to select regions within the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, including Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Prakasam, and Kurnool.
