About National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA):
- It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
- It was established in 2006 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (WPA 1972).
- Objectives:
- Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance with its directives becomes legal.
- The ‘Project Tiger’ is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, providing funding support to tiger range States for in-situ conservation of tigers in designated tiger reserves.
- Fostering accountability of the Center-State in the management of Tiger Reserves by providing a basis for MoU with States within the federal structure.
- Providing for an oversight by Parliament.
- Addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.
- NTCA Composition:
- Minister in charge of MoEFCC (as Chairperson),
- Minister of State in MoEFCC (as Vice-Chairperson),
- three members of Parliament, the Secretary (MoEFCC), and other members.
- Power and Functions:
- Powers and functions of the NTCA as prescribed under the WPA 1972, as amended in 2006, are as under:
- to approve the tiger conservation plan prepared by the State Government.
- evaluate and assess various aspects of sustainable ecology and disallow any ecologically unsustainable land use, such as, mining, industry, and other projects within the tiger reserves.
- lay down normative standards for tourism activities and guidelines for Project Tiger from time to time for tiger conservation in the buffer and core area of tiger reserves and ensure their due compliance.
- provide for management focus and measures for addressing conflicts of men and wild animals and to emphasize coexistence in forest areas outside the National Parks, sanctuaries, or tiger reserves, in the working plan code.
- provide information on protection measures, including future conservation plans, estimation of the population of tiger and their natural prey species, status of habitats, disease surveillance, mortality surveys, patrolling, reports on untoward happenings, and such other management aspects as it may deem fit, including future conservation plans.
- Approve and coordinate research and monitoring on tigers, co-predators, prey habitat, related ecological and socio-economic parameters, and their evaluation.
- ensure that the tiger reserves and areas linking one protected area or tiger reserve with another protected area or tiger reserve are not diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses, except in the public interest and with the approval of the National Board for Wild Life and on the advice of the NTCA.
- facilitate and support the tiger reserve management in the State for biodiversity conservation initiatives through eco-development and people’s participation as per approved management plans and to support similar initiatives in adjoining areas consistent with the Central and State laws.
- ensure critical support, including scientific, information technology, and legal support, for better implementation of the tiger conservation plan.
- facilitate ongoing capacity building programme for skill development of officers and staff of tiger reserves, and
- perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act with regard to conservation of tigers and their habitat.
- The NTCA may, in the exercise of its powers and performance of its functions under this Chapter, issue directions in writing to any person, officer or authority for the protection of tiger or tiger reserves and such person, officer or authority shall be bound to comply with the directions.
