TS not releasing funds for Project Tiger: Kishan

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy said that the State government that boasts of a budget of 2.75 lakh crore, does not even has Rs 2.2 crore to pay for the State share of Project Tiger, a Centre government sponsored scheme.

In a statement on Saturday, he said, 50 years ago, on April 1, 1973, Project Tiger was launched to promote tiger conservation in India. India has over 70 per cent global wild tiger population. Therefore the Centre is working on a mission mode to protect, preserve and nurture the tiger population and the habitat associated with tigers.

The Central government through the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) implements the ongoing Project Tiger which is a component of the overarching scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats. Project Tiger is being implemented in 18 tiger range States.

Telangana is blessed with two tiger reserves and they are one of the largest by area in the country. The Kawal Tiger Reserve spans an area of 2,015.44 sq. km while Amrabad spans 2,611.39 sqkm. Apart from this, the State of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh share the Nagarjunsagar Srisailam Tiger reserve of 3,296.31 sq kms. Since 2014, the Centre has been supporting various schemes in Telangana like Project Tiger, Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FPM), and Development of Wildlife Habitat Scheme.

Apart from this, the Centre also supports the Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad and several wildlife sanctuaries like Eturnagaram, Kinnerasani, Pakhal, Pocharam, Manjira, Pranahita, and Siwaram.

Approximately Rs 30 core has been transferred as a part of these schemes.The State also received Rs 3,110 crore under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

The State government's failure in releasing its share resulted in the two reserves of Kawal and Amrabad being unable to find financial support for regular activities such as weeding and fire-fighting operations.

As per the fund transfer pattern, The Centre transfers its share of funds in four installments while the State has to release its share within a month of receiving the share from the Central Government.

Unfortunately, this has not been happening to lead to a severe fund crunch for the Tiger reserves.