The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has initiated a review of the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) directive to relocate villages from tiger reserves. 

Current Relocation Status

• Villages in Core Areas: As per NTCA, 591 villages with 64,801 families live inside critical tiger habitats in 54 tiger reserves across 19 states.
• Relocations to Date: So far, 251 villages with 25,007 families have been relocated.

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About National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• Formation: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established in December 2005 as a statutory body.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.
• Legal Basis: Created under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, amended in 2006 to enhance tiger conservation efforts.
• Purpose and Mandate
  • Primary Goal: Strengthen tiger conservation across India.
  • Functions: Provides advisories, guidelines, and directions based on tiger status assessments, conservation activities, and recommendations from expert committees.
  • Authority: Has the power to direct individuals, officers, or authorities for tiger protection, who must comply with these directives.

2018 Recommendations on villages’ relocation 

• Compensation Based on Land Act: NCST recommended in 2018 that compensation be based on the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
• Revised Compensation: In 2021, NTCA revised the compensation from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh per family.

Legal Framework for Relocation

• Under the Wildlife Protection Act, core areas of tiger reserves can be cleared of human settlements, but only after fulfilling key conditions:
  • The rights of tribal communities must be recognized under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
  • Informed consent from the local Gram Sabha (village council) is required.
  • Relocation can proceed only if ecological and social experts conclude that the communities’ presence poses a significant threat to tigers and that coexistence is not feasible.

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• Relocation Provisions and Entitlements
  • Families opting for voluntary relocation are entitled to:
    • Rs 15 lakh compensation per family.
    • A resettlement package that includes:
      • Two hectares of land, homestead land, housing support, one-time financial aid, and basic amenities like water, sanitation, electricity, and telecommunications.

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