Andhra Pradesh, Nov. 21 -- In a major boost to India's biodiversity conservation efforts, the National Biodiversity Authority has released Rs 38.36 crore to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department and Rs 1.48 crore to the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board to protect and conserve the iconic Red Sanders, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said.

With this, India's Access and Benefit Sharing disbursements have crossed an impressive Rs 110 crore, marking one of the country's largest biodiversity-linked ABS releases.

According to the ministry, Red Sanders, renowned worldwide for its deep red timber, grows naturally only in selected pockets of the Eastern Ghats, particularly in the Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Prakasam and K...