It's concerning that our elected officials receive pay despite not working and causing disruptions in parliament while our national animal is in danger. The latest tiger census results are forthcoming, but there's already bad news about their conservation efforts. Due to the government's decision to limit spending, the funds allocated for tiger conservation have been reduced by 25%. 

 

As a result, plans to relocate villagers from tiger reserves may have to be postponed as resources from the centre dwindle. The National Tiger Conservation Authority had estimated that it would need Rs 5,000 crore to relocate and resettle nearly 50,000 families over a period of time. For the next five years, it had been given Rs 700 crore from the Planning Commission for relocation and other work.

 

However, this year's financial constraints have impacted tiger reserves, with only Rs 150 crore allocated for the 39 reserves for the upcoming fiscal year, down from the Rs 196 crore provided in the current fiscal year. The environment minister, Jairam Ramesh, has been in talks with the Planning Commission and the Finance Ministry to increase the budget, but it seems unlikely that the ministry will receive substantial gains in resources.

 

The NTCA had increased the relocation budget and offered a package of Rs 10 lakh per displaced family in an attempt to create inviolate tiger reserves, as required by the Wildlife Conservation Act. If the final budget is not significantly larger, however, relocation plans will have to be postponed for at least another year.