Centre okays MoU on tiger conservation

The tripartite deal will ensure accountability

The MoU will act through the National Tiger Conservation Authority and foster public accountability relating to tiger conservation by ensuring reciprocal commitments between the Centre, the tiger states and the Field Director of Tiger Reserves.

“The MoU will strengthen tiger conservation initiatives in the country, reinforce ongoing initiatives to conserve the tiger in the wake of poaching threats and demand for its body parts in the international illegal market, develop approaches to strengthen the ongoing efforts for conserving tigers in the designated tiger reserves and other tiger bearing forests of the country, and address the growing concern among public for saving the tiger,” I&B Minister Ambika Soni said.

“The implementation of the MoU will be done through the Project Tiger now going on in 37 tiger reserves in the country in 17 states,” Soni said after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh took the decision. The MoU also envisages establishment of a Tiger Conservation Foundation which would promote innovative
practices for involving the local stakeholders in tiger conservation.

Separately, Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said the decision would also ensure better utilisation of funds and increases accountability and responsibility for all three parties.

Plasma centre

In another decision, the Cabinet approved a proposal to set up a Plasma Fractionation Centre at Chennai with a capacity to process over 1.5 lakh litres of Plasma at a total cost of Rs 250 crore. Soni said the centre would have state-of-the-art equipment meeting international standards and manufacture all important plasma derivatives which were presently being imported. “The imported plasma derivatives are expensive and not accessible to all the needy patients,” she said.

The Cabinet also approved payment of India’s contribution of $ 239.93 million to the South Asian University, which is being set up as India’s contribution to SAARC. Soni said India’s contribution would account for 79 per cent of the total cost of establishment of the university.

“This will be the first international university to be hosted by India,” she said.