Bhopal, Mar 16: Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to constitute committees up to Panchayat level in the sphere of bio-diversity. Under Bio-diversity Act, 23741 bio-management committees have been established. At their own level these committees would also collect information about bio resources including plants and trees, crops and fauna apart from herbs found in their respective areas.

The work of constituting these committees in all the 48 districts has been completed as per Madhya Pradesh Bio-diversity Rule-2004 notified by the state government.

Under it, the process of constituting these committees in 48 District Panchayats, 313 Janpad Panchayats, 14 Municipal Corporations, 86 Municipalities, 237 Nagar Panchayats and 23 thousand 43 Gram Panchayats has been completed.

For carrying out activities related to bio-diversity, funds have been provided to committees of every level as contribution to Bio-diversity Fund. Under it, Rs 25 thousand to District Panchayat, Rs 15 thousand each to Janpad and Municipal Corporation, Rs 10 thousand to Nagar Palika Parishads and Rs five thousand to Nagar Panchayats has been given as grant.

Instructions have been issued to committees of all the districts to organise workshops, conferences, seminars etc. in the first phase.

Similarly, these committees would also collect information about bio resources like different species of plants, trees, fauna etc. apart from herbs and medicinal plants.

At the state level, the state government has constituted Bio-diversity Board.