2008-03-1
More Budget allocation for tiger conservation
News article from ‘The hindu’ daily http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/01/stories/2008030159231400.htm
Chidambaram takes care of tigers
Aarti Dhar
NEW DELHI: The declining tiger population in the country figured in the budget proposals for 2008-09 with the government announcing a special package for the conservation of the big cats.
“The tiger is under grave threat,” Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said, while presenting the budget estimates in Parliament on Friday.
Mr. Chidambaram said that in order to redouble the government’s effort to protect the tiger, there was a special allocation of Rs.50 crore for the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The bulk of the grant would be used to raise a special armed Tiger Protection Force.
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Environmentalists welcome budget 2008 for allocating more money for tiger conservation. At the same time demand productive utilisation of the allocated money.
The finance minister declared that the money will be used to arm and deploy special tiger protection force. Instead of constituting newer task forces, the existing mechanisms such as empowering forest / police and such enforcement agencies is urgently in need. They should be provided with adquate skill development programs, improving legal supports such as training and services etc.
In addition to that, There is an urgent need of functional Widlife Crime control bureau.(Though it is constituted years back still it is not in fuction or the reslut is not there in reality) Programs for involving people in tiger conservation atleast in and around forest areas should find first priority. Most of the present Forest Development Agencies constituted under the Central governemnt in this regard are fully managed by bureaucrats which keep away the people from conservation efforts. Otherwise, the money set apart Rs.1707 crore for MOEF, Rs.72 crore for Project Tiger, Rs. 820 crore for forestry and wildlife Departments, Rs. 226 crore for wildlife preservation will be unproductive in result .