The Prime Minister today announced 50 million U.S. dollars to strengthen the institutional mechanism for bio-diversity conservation in India. Addressing the 11th Conference of Parties on Convention on Biological Diversity in Hyderabad, Dr. Manmohan Singh said these funds will be used to enhance the technical and human capability of the national and state level mechanisms to attain objectives of convention on bio diversity.

He said government has also earmarked funds to promote capacity building in developing countries. The Prime Minister said, developing new models of inclusive conservation is a challenge to protect environment and ecology in future. Dr. Singh asserted that his government has legalised the rights of forest dwellers by passing Forest Rights Act and similar innovative approaches are under way to deal with the issue of protecting fishermen livelihoods.