Merger of Project Tiger and Project Elephant

• The two projects, Project Tiger and Project Elephant, have been officially merged.

Highlights

• The merger creates a new division called Project Tiger and Elephant Division, which will operate under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Project Tiger had completed its 50th anniversary after being launched in 1973.
• Project Elephant had completed 30 years in 2022 and has been a division under the Environment Ministry since its creation.

Common Allocation

• Both projects will be funded jointly under the new division.

Staff and Divisional Heads

• Project Elephant (PE) will now report to the Additional Director General of Forests (ADGF).
• Project Tiger (PT) will be designated as ADGF under the new Project Tiger and Elephant (PT&E) division.
• The Inspector General Forests will now hold the position of Project Director, Project Elephant, serving as the divisional head of the PT&E division.
• The Project Director, Project Elephant, will report to ADGF (PT&E) and also act as the Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Why

• The merger appears to be an effort to optimize funds and resources.

Pros

• The merger is expected to result in improved administrative efficiency.

Cons

• The decision to merge the projects without any discussion has triggered concerns in wildlife conservation circles. copyright©iasexpress.net