Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change; Government of India, has invited Proposals for Financial Assistance under ‘Assistance to Botanic Garden programme’ 

Eligible organizations maintaining Botanic Gardens can apply for one-time financial assistance for development and strengthening the infrastructural facilities, carrying out conservation, propagation and rehabilitation of selected, endemic and threatened (RET) plant species of the region. 

For Botanic gardens owned by Universities, Research Institutions/ Organizations, Horticulture departments and Degree Colleges with not less than 2 acres of land, preferably 5 acres of land exclusively for the purpose of botanic garden; classified as Small botanic gardens; the upper limit for funding will be within the range of 30-40 Lakhs for three years, which includes funding under the components of Research & Development (40 per cent) Infrastructure augmentation (including upgradation of the interpretation centre) (30 percent); Awareness building (15 percent) and other costs/contingency (15 percent) of the total grant. 

For Botanic Gardens owned by Universities, Research Institutions/ Organizations, State Forest/Environment/Science & Technology/ Agriculture/ Horticulture departments preferably with 10 acres or more of land exclusively for the purpose of botanic garden; classified as Lead Botanic gardens; the upper limit for financial support will be within the range of 100-125 Lakhs for 5 years. The funding will be for components like Research & Development (35 per cent), Infrastructure augmentation (including upgradation of the interpretation centre) (30 percent) (including construction provision for scientific equipment), Manpower (20 percent) (Including research staff and support staff); contingency 10 per cent. Other cost and training (5 percent).

Eligibility: The grantee institute must have an expert/group of experts in taxonomy/horticulture research. This should be substantiated by a good record of taxonomic research/publications, and evidenced experience in various aspects of conservation. 

Institutes with proven track record in undertaking conservation and propagation of indigenous, particularly threatened and endemic species will be given priority.

Preference shall be given to Botanic Gardens/ Centres of conservation from unexplored and under explored regions/sub-regions and when partial cost of expansion of existing gardens will be met by the grantee institutes. 

The assistance will not be given to those institutes, who have already received funds for the same purpose from other agencies/schemes and have a track record of not utilizing the fund for the purpose for which it was sanctioned. 

Proposal for development of new botanic gardens will not be accepted. The assistance is given only to existing gardens where partial infrastructure is available. The grantee institute needs to clearly explain in the proposal, the detailed plan for the sustainability of the garden once the fund is stopped.

The details of eligibility and mode of application can be obtained from https://moef.gov.in/ and https://bsi.gov.in/  

Last date of receipt of Project Proposal is 15.11.2023.