Marginal slash in Project Tiger fund, environment and forest ministry gets Rs 241 cr more

Budgetary allocation for Project Tiger was cut marginally in the Budget while funds given to the ministry of environment and forests were increased by Rs. 241.84 crore.

The revised plan allocation for Project Tiger last year was Rs 30.20 crore, while Finance Minister P Chidambaram has set aside Rs 28.50 crore for the programme this year. Project Tiger, a centrally-sponsored scheme, aims at protecting the endangered wildlife species and the entire ecosystem. The budgetary allocation for the ministry of environment and forests for the next fiscal is pegged at Rs 1,520.14 crore, as against Rs 1278.30 crore last year. The ministry can spend Rs. 142.98 crore on various wildlife preservation programme, which is Rs. 8.78 crore more than the previous fiscal. An expenditure of Rs 568.87 crore has been sanctioned for pollution prevention and control, an increase of Rs. 80.69 crore over last year.