Previous Year Question
First National Centre for Marine Biodiversity (NCMB) of India is situated at –
Puducherry
Jamnagar
Mumbai
Bhavnagar
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
India's first National Centre for Marine Biodiversity (NCMB) was established at Jamnagar in Gujarat. Its objective was to develop institutional research capacity for the study, conservation and better management of India's coastal and marine biodiversity.
NCMB was developed through collaboration between the then Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Gujarat Ecology Commission. It was described as the country's first such research institute established under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
An important reason for selecting Jamnagar was its proximity to the Gulf of Kutch. The region contains a highly significant marine ecosystem with coral reefs, mangroves and numerous marine organisms.
The Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch is also situated in this region. This made Jamnagar an especially suitable location for field research, documentation and conservation of marine biodiversity.
The Centre was intended to organise information on marine species and ecosystems, promote research, support sustainable management of coastal resources and strengthen conservation planning.