Why in News?

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Umbrella Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-IDWH) beyond the 12thPlan period from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-IDWH):

• The Scheme consists of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of-
  • Project Tiger (CSS-PT)
  • Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-DWH) and
  • Project Elephant (CSS-PE)
• A total of 18 tiger range States, distributed in five landscapes of the country would be benefitted under the Project Tiger scheme.
• Similarly, for other two schemes, the coverage is entire country in case of Development of Wildlife Habitats (DWH) and 23 elephant range States for Project Elephant.

Benefits of the Scheme:

• The schemes would result in overall strengthening/ consolidation of tiger, elephant and wildlife conservation in the country.
• The schemes would address the human wildlife conflict effectively.
• These schemes would generate employment opportunities resulting in economic upliftment of people in and around tiger reserves/ Protected Areas.
• It will generate direct employment of about 30 lakh mandays annually which shall include many local tribes besides non-tribal local workforce.
• Local populace would get opportunities to serve as guides, driver, hospitality personnel and in other ancillary jobs.
• These schemes would foster imparting various skills towards making people self-dependent through various eco-development projects, thereby enabling them to go for self-employment.
• These schemes would result in resource generation through tourist visits, thereby fostering in securing tiger source areas.