Funding Crisis Threatens Tiger Reserves in Assam
Severe Financial Shortages in Assam's Tiger Reserves
GUWAHATI, April 9: The four tiger reserves in Assam, all designated as national parks, are facing a significant financial crisis. The Union Finance Ministry has not released even half of the necessary funds under the Centrally sponsored Project Tiger & Elephant scheme since September 2025.
According to official sources, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had approved Rs 20.70 crore as the second installment under the scheme, but only a minimal amount has been disbursed to the park authorities by March 31, which has severely hampered daily operations within the reserves.
For instance, Manas National Park needed approximately Rs 4.87 crore but received only about Rs 50 lakh. In the case of Orang National Park, Rs 2.42 crore was sanctioned, yet only Rs 16 lakh was allocated. Kaziranga required around Rs 50 crore, with only Rs 18 crore sanctioned and less than Rs 8 crore released. Nameri National Park and Forest Reserve are in a similar financial predicament.
Officials at Kaziranga National Park reported a critical shortage of funds for new projects, ongoing expenses, and the salaries of temporary staff.
While Kaziranga has a slightly better financial standing due to its own revenue, Orang and Manas are facing the most severe impacts.
Manas has outstanding fuel bills amounting to Rs 60 lakh, and the park authority may struggle to pay casual staff wages next month. Similarly, Orang's fuel bill arrears have reached Rs 15 lakh.
“Contractor payment dues are accumulating, and the authorities are unable to conduct necessary repairs on patrol vehicles, boats, and patrolling routes,” an official stated.
Sources revealed that despite the NTCA's repeated requests, the Ministry of Finance has not allocated the required budget.
“The funds were reduced due to a slow expenditure pace by tiger reserves, attributed to administrative transition issues under the new SNA-SPARSH payment system. However, Assam has performed admirably despite these challenges,” the sources added.
The budget for Project Tiger and Elephant was cut by 47 percent, dropping from Rs 290 crore in the Budget Estimate (BE) for 2025-2026 to just Rs 153.04 crore in the Revised Estimates for the same period.
A recent report from a Parliamentary Standing Committee highlighted the funding cuts and sought clarification on the reasons behind them, as well as their impact on planned activities under this scheme for 2025-26.
In response, the Forest Ministry explained that the reduction was primarily “procedural and transitional.”
“The shift to the SNA-SPARSH system caused timing mismatches in fund releases, reconciliation, and expenditure recording, along with transitional administrative complexities due to the merger of Project Tiger & Elephant,” it was noted.
Regarding the impact of the funding cuts on scheme activities, the committee was informed that initiatives such as habitat restoration and conflict mitigation infrastructure have been adversely affected.