India, March 15 -- Villagers in Dapur, Maharashtra, received an unexpected Rs 68 lakh payment in their Gram Panchayat account.

The money came after a company used bacteria from soil collected in the village to develop probiotic products.

Under India's biodiversity laws, companies must share profits from biological resources with local communities.

The windfall is now prompting villagers to invest in biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration.

Residents of Dapur village in Maharashtra were both puzzled and excited when nearly Rs 68 lakh appeared in their Gram Panchayat bank account in November 2025.

The surprise was understandable. The village had not applied for any government grant or development scheme. Yet a substantial ...