Project Tiger

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Project Tiger’ was launched in April, 1973 with the objective to ensure maintenance of the viable population of Tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values, and to preserve for all times, areas of biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.

Amendment of the wild Life (protection) Act, 1972 for providing enabling provisions for constitution of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Tiger and other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau. The punishment in cases of offence within a tiger reserve has been enhanced. The Act also provides for forfeiture of any equipment, vehicle or weapon that has been used for committing any wild life offence.
100% Central Assistance provided to 17 Tiger Reserves as additionality for deployment of Tiger Protection Force, comprising of ex-army personnel and local work force.
Constitution of the National Tiger conservation Authority with effect from 4,09,2006, for strengthening tiger conservation by, inter alia, ensuring normative standards in tiger reserve management, preparation of reserve specific tiger conservation plan, laying down annual/audit report before Parliament, constituting State level Steering Committees under the Chairmanship of Chief Ministers and establishment of Tiger Conservation Foundation.
Constitution of a multidisciplinary Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau) with effect from 6.6.2007 comprising of officers from Police, Forest, Customs and other enforcement agencies to effectively control illegal trade in wildlife.
Approval accorded for declaring eight new Tiger Reserves.
The revised Project Tiger guidelines have been issued to States for strengthening tiger conservation, which apart from ongoing activities, inter alia, include funding support to States for enhanced village relocation/rehabilitation package for people living in core or critical tiger habitats (from Rs.1 lakh/family to Rs.10 lakhs / family, rehabilitation/resettlement of communities involved in traditional hunting and mainstreaming livelihood and wildlife concerns in forests outside tiger reserves and fostering corridor conservation through restorative strategy to arrest habitat fragmentation.
A scientific methodology for estimating tiger (including co-predators, prey animals and assessment of habitat status) has been evolved and mainstreamed. According to the refined methodology, an estimated land of 93697 km2 has been observed as tiger habitat. The estimated number of tigers is 1411 (with an upper limit 1657 & lower limit 1165 as per the refined scientific methodology). The findings of this estimation/assessment are bench marks for future tiger conservation strategy.
India has a Memorandum of Understanding with Nepal on controlling transboundary illegal trade in wildlife and conservation, apart from a protocol on tiger conservation with China.
A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range Countries has been created for addressing international issues related to tiger conservation.

Source: National Portal Content Management Team