National Tiger Conservation Authority

What is NTCA?

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, for strengthening tiger conservation.

Structure of NTCA

• National Tiger Conservation Authority is set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests.
• The Authority will have eight experts or professionals having qualifications and experience in wildlife conservation and welfare of people including tribals, apart from three Members of Parliament.
• The Inspector General of Forests, in charge of project Tiger, will be ex-officio Member Secretary.

Objectives of NTCA

• Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance of its directives become legal.
• Fostering accountability of Center-State in management of Tiger Reserves, by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
• Providing for an oversight by Parliament.
• Addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.

Powers and functions

• Approve the tiger conservation plan prepared by the State Government.
• Ensure that the tiger reserves areas are not diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses,  except in public interest and with the approval of the National Board for Wild Life and on the advice of the Tiger Conservation Authority;
• 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.
• Facilitate and support the tiger reserve management in the State for biodiversity conservation initiatives through eco-development and people’s participation.
• NTCA is responsible for conducting Tiger census.
  • NTCA has also created a mobile app, M-STrIPES (Monitoring System For Tigers-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) to make data gathering easier and more transparent.

Project tiger

• Project Tiger is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government of India which was launched on the 1st of April, 1973 for in-situ conservation of wild tigers in designated tiger reserves.

Prelims Question

Consider the following statements regarding National Tiger Conservation Authority:
1.It is set up under the Chairmanship of Prime minister
2.It is responsible for conducting tiger census of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to the Prelims Question