RANTHAMBHORE: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday defended the Proclamation on dissolution of the Bihar Assembly, saying there was no other option for the Centre. It acted on the recommendations of Governor Buta Singh and also on the basis of its own information, he said.

"It was the constitutional duty of the Government," Dr. Singh said interacting with the media at the end of his visit to the National Park here to study the crisis facing the tiger population. "It has already been three months since the elections were held in that State. No Government could be made," he noted.

"An atmosphere of horse-trading of the worst kind prevailed," Dr. Singh said. "The Governor had made a recommendation saying that there was no option other than dissolution of the Assembly," he said.

"We had considerable information to substantiate the Governor's recommendations," he added.

Referring to the demands made by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Dr. Singh said he would take them up with the Ministries concerned to render "all possible assistance" to the State.

BJP's U-turn on VAT

He, however, made known his concern over non-implementation of the value-added tax (VAT) by Rajasthan as well as the other Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled States. "When Yashwant Sinha and Jaswant Singh were Finance Ministers, the BJP said that VAT was the right thing for the country and now they have turned against it."

"It is not proper for the States not to introduce VAT and play politics on the issue. Till the other day, the BJP was promoting the concept of VAT. They did work on it for five years and I appreciate their efforts," he said. Non-adoption of VAT by States such as Rajasthan — which needed to create more jobs in the manufacturing and other sectors — would "considerably hinder" their economic prospects.

Dr. Singh said the Centre would work with the States to make them prosperous and strong. "India can be strong if its States and villages are strong." The States needed to improve their law and order situation and manage their finances more efficiently.

Dr. Singh wound up his two-day visit to the Ranthambhore National Park, with a reassuring message that his Government would stand by the tigers and all forms of wildlife. Wild habitats, especially sanctuaries sheltering tigers, were under pressure and there was much to be done to protect the animals.

Dr. Singh along with his wife, Gursharan Kaur, had a "fruitful" visit in the morning to the 392-sq-km sanctuary, among the first to be brought under Project Tiger in the 1970s.

As for steps to protect the dwindling population of tigers, he said he would wait for the report of the Task Force, expected in two months. "Give me a chance," he said. "The future is in our hands."

The pressures on the areas surrounding the parks were increasing and there was need to devise new ways of providing the people with livelihood. "Otherwise, we will be causing irreversible damage to our future."

"All is not well with tiger sanctuaries"

"I have not come to find fault with anyone," the Prime Minister said. But "things are not as they should be" in Rajasthan's tiger sanctuaries. "One of the primary reasons for my visit to Ranthambhore was to gain firsthand knowledge of the problems and challenges confronting our National Parks and sanctuaries."

Dr. Singh, who identified forest management and forest-human interface as the two main challenges, said there was need to improve the park management with better physical, financial, managerial and technical resources.

The issues of funds, ageing staff profile, shortage of vehicles and equipment, improved staff amenities and poaching and wildlife crimes would be discussed with the Environment and Forests Ministry.

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