The state wildlife wing and tiger reserve officials are peeved over the drastic cuts in funds for various afforestation, forest protection, and wildlife conservation works bythe NationalCompensatory Afforestation Fund Management & Planning Authority (CAMPA).
TheMaharashtraannual plan of operation outlay for 2023-24 was 841.33 crores. However, the executive committee of the National Campa has approved a little over 593 crore only.
Though the sanctioned funds come to 70% of the total outlay proposed, a review of the crucial works related to the wildlife sector shows that the total funds approved are even less than 50% and it will be difficult to manage, especially in the backdrop of the fact that grants under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) from NTCA under the dont come in time.