The National Biodiversity Action Plan (2008) and National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016) are already in place for the conservation of biodiversity in the country, including the Western Ghats. Further, 39 Serial Sites in the Western Ghats in the States of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have been inscribed as World Heritage Sites in the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 36th session of World Heritage Committee held in July, 2012 at Saint Petersburg, Russia. The various elements of these serial sites are National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserve Forests, which are managed under relevant enabling legal and administrative provisions. This was stated by Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, in the Lok Sabha today, in a written reply to a question by Shri Badri Ram Jakhar.

            She further stated that the for a site to be included on the World Heritage List, the site must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten extant selection criteria of the World Heritage Committee.    

The funds allocated in the 12th Five Year Plan for conservation of wildlife and its habitat in the country, including the Western Ghats, through the Centrally Sponsored Schemes is as follows:

RM/RS-  USQ3266 - LS