*Representational Picture Courtesy zeenews india.com

Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme – Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat (CSS-IDWH), the Central Government has released Rs.1010.69 crore for Tigers, Rs.75.86 crore for Elephants and Rs.23.16 crore for Asiatic Lions in the last three years. Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Babul Supriyo provided these information in Rajya Sabha while replying to a question raised by MP Parimal Nathwani.

This was on July 8. As per the Minister's statement, the Centre had released Rs.342.25 crore, Rs.345 crore and Rs323.44 crore for CSS-Project Tiger in the last three years. Similarly, it released Rs.21.20 crore, Rs24.90 crore and Rs29.76 crore under CSS- Project Elephant in the same period of time. The center released Rs.1.09 crore, Rs.2.24 crore and Rs19.83 crore in the year 2016-17,2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively under CSS-IDWH for the conservation of Asiatic Lions.

Records revealed that Nathwani wanted to know about the steps being taken by the Forest Department for the conservation of Asiatic Lions, the budget allocated and released by Government for the conservation of the Asiatic Lions vis-a-vis Tigers and Elephants in the last three years. He had also sought to know whether Government mulls opening up the modern and world-class diagnostic facilities for the Lions and Elephants.

In his reply, the Minister said that there is no plan for opening up modern diagnostic facilities for Elephants in the country.

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