Chhattisgarh govt to form Tiger Foundation Society to control depleting number of big cats
RAIPUR:
Chhattisgarh cabinet on Wednesday decided to establish state Tiger Foundation Society, in a move for wildlife conservation and eco-tourism, which will focus on tiger conservation, over a concern towards deteriorating tiger population.
Chhattisgarh presently has around 18-20 tigers.
Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai chaired the cabinet meeting at his official residence in Raipur and this decision was taken during the meeting.
Officials said that a similar society has been operational in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh since 1996 and Chhattisgarh's Tiger Foundation Society will function under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the state has four tiger reserves, since its foundation in year 2000.
According to information, the Tiger Society will be self-financed, and will not put any additional burden on the govt exchequer. It will raise funds from individuals and institutions. This society will be directly involved in activities related to the conservation of tigers and other wildlife, the govt release said.
IT added that the society will ensure availability of external funds, expertise and resources for conservation, which will provide new employment opportunities to local communities and maintain the environmental balance of the state,
The statement said that the society will promote eco-tourism with the participation of the local community, which will not only increase tourism but also create employment and income opportunities for the local people.
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Meanwhile, it will encourage environmental education, research and training, giving scope to conservationists.
It will prove to be a milestone in the field of wildlife conservation in Chhattisgarh, which will protect biodiversity as well as give a strong base to promote eco-tourism, the release said.
Cabinet also took other key decision and gave its nod to provide financial assistance to consumers for setting up solar rooftop plants in their houses under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana to promote renewable energy.
Besides the Centre's fund, the scheme will be provided with additional financial assistance from the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) for installing solar rooftop plants at the homes of domestic consumers, which will vary based on the capacity of the solar plant (1 kW, 2 kW, 3 kW and above), the statement said.
A total of Rs 45,000 will be provided for a 1 kW plant (Rs 30,000 as central assistance and Rs 15,000 as state aid), while for a plant of 3 kW or more, the assistance will be Rs 1,08,000 (Rs 78,000 as central assistance and Rs 30,000 as state aid), it said.
Similar assistance has been proposed for housing societies/residential welfare associations. This grant amount will be received by CSPDCL in advance and will be disbursed later to the beneficiaries. A target has been set to install 60,000 such solar power plants in 2025-26, and 70,000 solar power plants in 2026-27. This will entail a financial burden of Rs 180 crore in the financial year 2025-26 and Rs 210 crore in 2026-27, officials said.
CSPDCL will be the implementing agency of this scheme as per the guidelines of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), it added.
Cabinet approved the extension of certain benefits to communities that were technically excluded from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) lists due to technical reasons. The Dehari Korva
,
Baghel Kshatri
,
Sansari Oraon, and Pavia/Pabiya communities' students will be provided state scholarships and access to hostels/ashrams under the Scheduled Tribes category.
This move aims to ensure equal opportunities for students from marginalized communities.
Cabinet approved the merger of the Vivekananda Institute of Social Health Welfare & Services (VISHWAS) with Ramkrishna Mission Ashram Narayanpur. This merger aims to streamline the operations of the organization and expand its impact.
A major step towards agricultural education was taken as the Cabinet agreed to provide 94.290 hectares of land in Belgav village, Saja tehsil, Bemetara district, for the establishment of a Horticulture University.
This land will be provided free of cost to the Horticulture Department.
In an effort to promote local products and empower women's self-help groups
,
the Cabinet approved transfer of the 'JashPure' brand (under which herbal and mahua tea are being produced) to the state government or Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC)
.
This will help expand the market for these products, boost local raw material demand, and provide employment opportunities for tribal women. The transfer will not place any additional financial burden on the state.
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