The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the National Biodiversity Authority have launched a five-year project to strengthen grassroots biodiversity governance in Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya. The project will be implemented from 2025 to 2030 with a grant of over 4.88 million US dollars. The initiative aims to empower local communities and institutions by integrating biodiversity conservation into Gram Panchayat Development Plans and promoting innovative financing mechanisms. The Ministry informed that the project, titled Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Securing Biodiversity Conservation Commitments, is a joint initiative of the Government, the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Programme.

In Tamil Nadu, it will cover the Sathyamangalam landscape, including the Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserves. In Meghalaya, it will be implemented across the Garo Hills region, covering the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, Balpakram National Park and Siju Wildlife Sanctuary. The project will focus on two ecologically significant landscapes. The Ministry said that the initiative aligns with India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, the global 30×30 biodiversity target, and the country’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, while also supporting state vision documents of Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya.