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FACTUAL PASSAGE, I., , Here’s good news for tiger conservationists, tiger, authorities, and, wildlife, lovers, celebrating, International Tiger Day. According to the latest, census of 2018 released by Prime Minister Narendra, Modi on International Tiger Day, India is home to, 2,967 tigers. What makes this figure significant is, that it is an increase by a third as compared to 2014, and more than double as compared to 2006. The, latest census also reveals the states with the highest, tiger populations and those with the lower ones,, along with the economic value (pegged between, 4200 crores to 16000 crores annually) of tiger, reserves in the country., , II. The latest tiger census is very encouraging, and, points to the successful strategies, methods and, techniques being adopted and pursued by wildlife, authorities and wildlife conservationists to protect, the tiger., III., , The tiger census 2018 was taken after a painstaking, 15 months’ work where the forest officials surveyed, 3,81,400 sq km of forested habitats. During the same, period of time, they also installed 26,760 camera, traps, with wildlife biologists going through 35 million, images of wildlife. Of this astounding number of, images, 76,523 were those of tigers. It is estimated, that almost 83% of the entire tiger population was, represented in these images.

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IV. The figures are certainly cause for enthusiasm, and a, great deal of it was reflected in the address by Prime, Minister Narendra Modi on International Tiger Day., In it, he also stressed on the need for striking a, healthy balance between development and, environment. Addressing this issue, he went on to say,, “There is a very old debate – development or, environment. Both sides present views as if they are, mutually exclusive. In our policies, in our economics,, we have to change the conversation about, conservation. I am confident that India will prosper, both economically and environmentally. India will, build more roads and India will have cleaner rivers., India will have better train connectivity and also, greater tree coverage.