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Climate change

Simplification of Biological Diversity Rules: A Step towards Digital Ease

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change ("MoEFCC") has made significant changes to the rules governing biological diversity, particularly with regards to the procedure for obtaining a certificate of origin for cultivated medicinal plants. The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Rules, 2025, effective from November 1, 2025, aim to streamline the process and increase digital efficiency. The key changes include the shift of responsibility for maintaining cultivation records from applicants to the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) and the digital generation of certificates of origin.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Rules, 2025, simplify the procedure for obtaining a certificate of origin for cultivated medicinal plants by shifting the responsibility from applicants to the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC).
  • The BMC will maintain cultivation records in Form 11 on the web portal, and the certificate of origin will now be generated digitally via the portal in Form 12.
  • The application process has been fully digitized, and applicants must now apply in Form 11A through the designated web portal, replacing the earlier manual or hybrid method.
  • The timelines and escalation mechanisms for issuing the certificate of origin have been removed, and cases of dispute will be addressed through the web portal.
  • The digitization of the application process and issuance of certificates is expected to increase efficiency and reduce the risk of errors.

Statistics:

  • The certificate of origin will be generated digitally via the portal in Form 12.
  • The application process has been fully digitized, with applicants applying in Form 11A through the designated web portal.
  • The BMC will maintain cultivation records in Form 11 on the web portal.
  • The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Rules, 2025, have been notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change ("MoEFCC").

Sources:

MoEFCC. (n.d.). Biological Diversity (Amendment) Rules, 2025.

Source: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

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