Project Tiger

·         On January 30, 2008 CCEA cleared expenditure of Rs 600 crore for the ongoing centrally-sponsored scheme of Project Tiger during the 11th Plan period, including development of eight new tiger reserves.

·         The approval applies to the additional measures mooted to intensify Tiger conservation efforts.

·         These are:

o        Rehabilitation or resettlement of denotified tribes and communities involved in traditional hunting;

o        mainstreaming livelihood and wildlife concerns in forests outside tiger reserves and fostering corridor conservation through restorative strategy to arrest fragmentation of habitats;

o        enhanced village relocation or rehabilitation package for people living in core or critical tiger habitats apart form settlement of rights.

o        Safeguards/retrofitting measures in the interest of wildlife conservation:

o        Providing basic infrastructure for strengthening the national tiger conservation authority and establishing a monitoring lab in the Wildlife Institute of India;

o        establishment and development of eight new tiger reserves and provision of project allowance to ministerial staff working in tiger reserves and fostering eco-tourism.

·         The scheme is aimed at protection and conservation of endangered Tiger in the reserves as per the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force curbing unlawful activities in tiger reserves by strengthening their infrastructure, providing inviolate space for tiger in core or critical tiger habitats, mainstreaming tiger conservation in the landscape and providing conditions for increase in tiger population in the country