PM to visit Karnataka today, to address mega rally at Davangere

On completion of 50 years of Project Tiger and showcase India’s tiger conservation success globally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a threeday mega event on April 9 in Mysuru in Karnataka.

Officials said that the Prime Minister will also release the latest tiger census data, the government's vision for tiger conservation during “Amrit Kaal” and a commemorative coin.

India launched Project Tiger on April 1, 1973 to promote tiger conservation. Initially, it covered nine tiger reserves spread over 18,278 sq km. At present, India has 53 tiger reserves covering more than 75,000 sq km (approximately 2.4 per cent of the country's geographical area) of tiger habitat.

Davangere is already dotted with saffron hues and the pandal has been placed in 400 acres of land next to GMIT College. BJP State General Secretary Mahesh Tenginakai claimed that the four “Vijaya Sankalpa Yatres”, which began from four different directions across the state, in specially designed vehicles or “Rathas”, have been successful.

He said, a total of 5,600 kms were covered by the Yatre, in which millions of people attended. “We have reached 224 constituencies.” According to a party release, for the rally, a largescale catering arrangement has been made and 400 counters will be opened.

With a current population of about 3,000 tigers, India is home to more than 70 percent of the global wild tiger population and their number is increasing at six per cent per annum.

The tiger reserves are repositories for biodiversity conservation in the country. These ensure regional water security and carbon sequestration and thus contribute in accomplishing India’s climate change mitigation targets.