Chapter 8 of The Biological Diversity Act

The Central Government shall cause the annual report and auditor’s report to be laid, as soon as may be after they are received, before each House of Parliament.

The State Government may, after due appropriation made by the State Legislature by law in this behalf, pay to the State Biodiversity Board by way of grants or loans such sums of money as the State Government may think fit for being utilised for the purposes of this Act.

(1) There shall be constituted a Fund to be called the State Biodiversity Fund and there shall be credited thereto —
(a) any grants and loans made to the State Biodiversity Board under section 31;
(b) any grants or loans made by the National Biodiversity Authority;
1[(c) all sums including charges and benefit sharing amount received by the State Biodiversity Board and from such other sources as may be decided by the State Government;]
(2) The State Biodiversity Fund shall be 2[utilised] for–
3[(aa) channelling benefits to the benefit claimers;]
(b) compensating or rehabilitating any section of the people economically affected by notification under sub-section (1) of section 37;
4[(c) conservation, promotion and sustainable use of biological resources;]
5[(d) socio-economic development of areas from where such biological resources or traditional knowledge associated thereto have been accessed in consultation with the Biodiversity Management Committee or local body concerned:
Provided that when it is not possible to identify the area from where the biological resources or associated knowledge have been accessed, the fund shall be utilised for socio-economic development of the area where such biological resources occur;]
6[(e) making grants or loans to the Biodiversity Management Committees;
(f) the activities to meet the purposes of the Act.]1. Subs. by Act 10 of 2023, s. 24, for clause (c) (w.e.f. 1-4-2024).
2. Subs. by s. 24, ibid., for “applied” (w.e.f. 1-4-2024).
3. Ins. by s. 24, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-4-2024).
4. Subs. by s. 24, ibid., for clause (c) (w.e.f. 1-4-2024).
5. Subs. by s. 24, ibid., for clause (d) (w.e.f. 1-4-2024).
6. Subs. by s. 24, ibid, for clause (e) (w.e.f. 1-4-2024).

The State Biodiversity Board shall prepare, in such form and at such time in each financial year as may be prescribed, its annual report, giving a full account of its activities during the previous financial year, and submit a copy thereof to the State Government.

The accounts of the State Biodiversity Board shall be maintained and audited in such manner as may, in consultation with the Accountant-General of the State, be prescribed and the State Biodiversity Board shall furnish, to the State Government, before such date as may be prescribed, its audited copy of accounts together with auditor’s report thereon.