WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Assistance released for conservation of Wetlands to following States during the current financial year:J&K (Wullar),

Himachal Pradesh (Renuka,Chandertal and Pong), Orissa (Chilka), Manipur(Loktak), W.Bengal (East Calcutta & Sunderbans),Tamil Nadu (Pt. Calimer) and Rajasthan (Sambhar),Kottuli and Sashthamkotta (Kerala). Joint Forest Management The Joint Forest Management (JFM) Programme was pursued vigorously with the result that JFM resolution has now been adopted in all the 28 States. 84632 JFM Committees have been formed and 17.33 million ha forest area have been brought under JFM Programme. About85.28 lakhs families are involved in JFM Programme in various states all over the country. Scheme For Shelter Houses For Looking After TheAnimals-The objective of this scheme is to establishand maintain shelter houses for distressed animals in the country. Primarily NGOs, SPCAs are given grant up toRs.22.50 lakhs.During the year, Rs.2.96 crore has been released to 38 organizations in the states of Rajasthan, New Delhi,Gujarat, Orissa, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Maharashtra, U.P., Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Goa. Some of the beneficiary organizations areAdinathPashu Raksha Sanstha Gaushala; Udaipur,Rajasthan; Wild life S.O.S, New Delhi;People ForAnimals, Solapur, Maharashtra; NICCD, Khoda, Orissa;Bishwa Bharti ShikshaSansthan, Gurukul Gaushala,Rohtak, Haryana; Shri Gopal Gaushala, Patiala,Punjab;SPCA Udgir, Maharashtra; Dayodaya Pashu Sansthan,Lalitpur, U.P.; Shri GopalGoshala Nyas, Ratlam, MadhyaPradesh; Friendicoes SECA, New Delhi; Sri RaghvendraPashu Samraksha Sangha, Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh;People For Animals, Panaji, Goa. Scheme for Provision of Ambulance Services to Animals in Distress : Under this scheme the animal welfare organizations are given grant for purchase of suitable vehicle for transportation, rescue and also for providing emergency services to animals in distressed. An amount of Rs. 47.50 lakh has been released during the year to 12 organizations like Early Birds, Assam; PFA, Imphal; Gram Vikas Kalyan Samiti, Mathura; ShriKrishna Gau Seva Sansthan, Rajasthan; International Wildlife and Tiger Conservation, Jabalpur; PFA Sadhrana,(Gurgaon), Haryana. Scheme for Relief to Animals During Natural Calamities and Unforeseen Circumstances : The animal welfare organization, State Government, Local Bodies etc. are given grant to make available emergency services to animals in distress on account of natural calamities like earthquakes, cyclone, flood, drought etc. During this financial year the target set by the division was for giving grant of Rs. 35 lakhs. Two States, through organizations namely Rajasthan Livestok Development Board, Jaipur and UP Go Seva Ayog, Lucknow, have beengiven grant totaling to Rs. 30.00 lakhs under Natural Calamity Scheme. Project Tiger Project Tiger was launched in 1973 with an objective to ensure maintenance of a viable population of tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values, and to preserve for all times, areas of biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people. The Project has been successfully implemented, and at present there are 281 Tiger Reserves in 17 states, covering an area of 37761 sq. km. The selection of reserves was guided by the need to conserve unique ecosystem habitat types across the geographic distribution of tigers in the country. The network of tiger reserves include high mountainous terrains of Arunachal Pradesh, the heavy rainfall areas of Assam and West Bengal, the estuarine mangroves of Sunderbans, the dry forests of Rajasthan, the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttaranchal, UttarPradesh and Bihar, theCentral Indian Highlands of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and Maharashtra, and theplateau of Chota Nagpur (Jharkhand), the hilly tropicaland evergreen forests of Orissa, the evergreenforestsof Western Ghats in Kerala and Karnataka, the dry deciduous forests of Andhra Pradesh and the Southern moist deciduous forests of Tamil Nadu. Rehabilitation of Circus AnimalsThe Government of India has put a ban onperformance of lion, tiger, panther, bear and monkeys bycircuses. Consequent to the ban, these animals were tobe rehabilitated by creating appropriate facilities. AsIndian Zoos did not have adequate facilities to rehabilitateall these animals, the Central Government decided thatrescue centres should be created by the Central ZooAuthority for the display areas of the various zoos.Accordingly, the Central Zoo Authority has establishedfive rescue centres at the following Zoos :- Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakapatnam,Andhra Pradesh Sri Venkateshwara Zoological Park, Tirupati, AndhraPradesh Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore, Karnataka Nahargarh Biological Park, Jaipur, Rajasthan.