India TodayNE Impact: Congress MP Abdul Khaleque moves adjournment motion in Lok Sabha over misuse of wildlife conservation funds

Congress leader from Assam and Lok Sabha MP Abdul Khaleque moved adjournment motion on April 3 regarding misuse of funds meant for tiger conservation during former President Ramnath Kovind’s visit to Kaziranga National Park.

In a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker and Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Khaleque wrote, “For conservation and development of wildlife, various categories of fund has been instituted. These includes fund for tiger conservation and several other purposes. However, the importance of fund utilisation was compromised during the visit of hon’ble former President to Kaziranga National Park, Assam in 2022. The news came to light only after RTI query was filed. More than Rs 1.5 Crore was used from two different funds, one being for tiger conservation and the other for wildlife fund. This clearly shows that funds are being rerouted for various activities other than what is actually meant for. This is a gross misuse of funds.”

Notably, India TodayNE had filed an exclusive report on March 29, 2023, detailing the misusing of funds meant for wildlife conservation during former President Kovind’s visit.

Speaking exclusively to India TodayNE, MP Abdul Khaleque said, "Yes, I did move an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on April 3 regarding the misappropriation of funds meant for wildlife conservation during former President Ram Nath Kovind's visit to Kaziranga National Park last year. I have gone through the India TodayNE based on the RTI, following which I decided to move an adjournment motion for an urgent hearing on the issue".

As per reliable sources, it was confirmed that The former President visited the KNP on February 26 and 27 last year and the two-day visit cost the park authorities a whopping Rs 1.64 crore. What’s more ironical is that part of the money used for Kovind’s visit came from the corpus fund of the Tiger Foundation, and the rest from a general wildlife fund.

This was revealed by Kaziranga field director’s office in response to a query filed under the RTI Act by activist Rohit Choudhury. Of the Rs 1.6 crore spent on Kovind’s visit, Rs 1.12 crore (68 per cent) came from Kaziranga Tiger Conservation Foundation’s (KTCF) corpus fund. This allegedly misappropriated fund was used for a variety of things such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, renting a tent, buying an air purifier, renovation of the convention center, interior items, and furniture repair.

In accordance with Rule 25 of the Assam Tiger Conservation Foundation Rules, 2010, 90 per cent of the fund should be used to support field staff training, strengthen eco-development committees at the village level in and around the reserve, and to strengthen eco-development committees there. As a “society fund”, the remaining 10 per cent must be invested in fixed deposits. This was reiterated by RTI activist Choudhury as well. “I find it hard to comprehend why they used KTCF funds generated through tourist entry fees and other charges for a VIP visit,” he told India TodayNE.”

India TodayNE even gained access to the letter from the Field Director of the KNP approving the allocation of Rs 1.12 crore from Tiger Conservation Foundation’s corpus.

Also read : How Rs 1.12 crore meant for tiger conservation in Kaziranga was spent on former president Kovind’s visit