Rs10b earmarked for Wildlife Department in the budget 2025–26

The Punjab government has announced a substantial budget of Rs 10 billion for the Wildlife Department in the fiscal year 2025–26, marking a 10 percent increase compared to the previous year, 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.

According to the proposed budget breakdown, Rs 84 million in capital expenditure and Rs 9.89 billion in revenue have been earmarked for ongoing schemes.

Key components of the budget include infrastructure upgrades in national parks, the establishment of new wildlife centers in the Cholistan and Thal regions, and the upgradation of existing rescue stations.

Special funds have been designated for rare species protection and the introduction of a digital wildlife monitoring system to enhance surveillance and data management.

Among the new initiatives, two major schemes will be launched, focusing on rare species breeding and wildlife education.

A budget has also been set aside for public awareness campaigns, summer camps for students, and training programs for department staff.

Environmental collaborations between the forestry and wildlife departments are also being planned, along with the proposal for mini urban wildlife parks and mobile wildlife units in every district.

To safeguard endangered species like the Chinkara, Urial, and blackbuck deer, the department will implement strict monitoring mechanisms, including GPS tracking systems, and enforce tougher penalties against illegal hunting.

Facilities within wildlife parks will also be upgraded, and an emphasis will be placed on the role of wildlife in combating the effects of climate change.

The department is introducing several tech-driven reforms such as digitizing wildlife databases, installing CCTV cameras across all centers, launching a mobile app for inspectors, and establishing secret surveillance programs against poachers.

District-level wildlife offices will be upgraded, and staff capacity will be improved through the creation of training centers.

For the future, the provincial government plans to increase the wildlife budget to Rs11 billion in 2026–27 and Rs12.1 billion in 2027–28.

There are also proposals to explore public-private partnerships and to initiate wildlife research collaborations with educational institutions.