The Madhya Pradesh government has given in-principle approval to a new scheme aimed at strengthening conservation and reducing man-animal conflict in buffer zones surrounding its nine tiger reserves. Titled ‘Development of Buffer Zones in Tiger Reserves’, the initiative comes with a separate allocation of ₹145 crore spread across three financial years starting this fiscal.
Announced after a cabinet meeting, the scheme is expected to address long-standing challenges faced in managing tiger habitats beyond core reserve areas. With the state’s tiger population witnessing a significant rise — from 526 in 2018 to 785 in 2022, as per the National Tiger Census — the pressure on buffer zones has increased. Notably, nearly 30% of Madhya Pradesh’s tiger population now resides outside the officially demarcated reserves.
Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said the initiative will focus on a range of activities including installation of chain-link fencing in sensitive buffer areas, implementation of wildlife protection and fire safety protocols, animal health monitoring, development of grasslands and water bodies, and vocational training for local communities.
According to senior forest officials, current conservation efforts in tiger reserves largely depend on funding from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), with 60% of the funds coming from the Centre and 40% from the state. However, these funds are predominantly allocated for core reserve areas, leaving buffer zones underserved.
“Conservation efforts in buffer areas often get delayed due to staggered fund releases by the Centre. The first instalment arrives months after the request is submitted, affecting time-sensitive activities, especially before the monsoon,” said a senior forest official.
To address this gap, the state has previously resorted to using national park development funds, but rising tiger fatalities and incidents involving human casualties underscore the inadequacy of such measures. In 2024 alone, Madhya Pradesh reported 46 tiger deaths, the highest in the country. The number of human deaths due to tiger attacks has also been on the rise, with eight fatalities reported in 2024-25.
Field directors of the state’s nine tiger reserves have now been directed to identify conflict-prone zones and propose area-specific conservation measures. These include installing solar-powered fencing in high-risk villages using a cluster model, instead of targeting individual fields, and promoting skill development among local youth.
“The idea is to empower local communities and build trust,” said Ravindra Mani Tripathi, field director of Kanha Tiger Reserve. “By involving them in conservation through employment and training, we can reduce hostility towards wildlife and prevent retaliatory actions like setting forest fires.”
Amit Dubey, field director of Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve, highlighted the urgency of protecting areas along the Banas River, which runs through both core and buffer zones and is frequented by tigers. “Villages along the river are especially vulnerable to becoming conflict hotspots. We plan to develop targeted intervention models for these regions,” he said.
The government hopes that the dedicated funding and decentralized planning approach under the new scheme will pave the way for more effective conservation and coexistence strategies in the long term.
