Environment Ministry body gives funding nod for managing human-tiger conflict outside tiger reserves

To address the growing issue of human-tiger conflict in various forest divisions of India, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved funding for a pilot scheme titled ‘Tigers Outside of Tiger Reserves’. This initiative aims to improve the management of such conflicts through enhanced monitoring and protection mechanisms.

The National CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority), which functions under the environment ministry, approved in-principle funding for a one-year pilot implementation of the scheme. The initial rollout will involve 80 forest divisions across 10 states, selected based on recurring instances of human-tiger conflict. The pilot will focus on technical and strategic interventions to prevent and manage conflict in areas where tigers roam outside the designated tiger reserves.

The scheme includes components like improved protection and monitoring of tigers and co-predators, empowering forest managers with technological tools, establishing collaborations with civil society and veterinary experts, and enhancing the prey base in these forested areas. The Chief Wildlife Wardens of state forest departments will implement the scheme in coordination with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). As per an official, NTCA is currently finalizing the list of the forest and wildlife divisions for implementation.

The executive committee of CAMPA has directed NTCA to provide a revised, year-wise budget estimate and submit it to the governing body of CAMPA for formal approval. The total proposed budget outlay for the scheme is ₹88 crore till the financial year 2026–27. This scheme was first announced during the National Board for Wildlife meeting on March 3, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The National CAMPA authority manages the funds collected as compensatory afforestation fees when forest land is diverted for non-forest use. This fund has previously supported significant wildlife projects, including the Great Indian Bustard recovery project and Project Cheetah.

The need for this new initiative stems from the fact that nearly 30% of India's tiger population—out of over 3,600 tigers—live outside protected reserves. These tigers often enter human settlements in search of prey, leading to increased risks of conflict. In addition, their territorial nature displaces other predators like leopards into human-dominated landscapes, further escalating the problem.

According to official data, 382 people lost their lives in tiger-related conflicts between 2020 and 2024, with 111 deaths in 2022 alone. Regions frequently affected include areas around the Tadoba Tiger Reserve (Chandrapur, Maharashtra), sugarcane fields near Dudhwa and Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), and forest divisions near Ranthambore and Wayanad (Kerala).

Speaking at the India Conservation Conference at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav acknowledged the gravity of human-animal conflict. He cited examples from Dudhwa, Kabini, Ranthambore, and Tadoba to highlight the growing challenge of managing tigers outside designated reserves. He reiterated the government’s commitment to proactively address this issue through focused interventions in the coming years.