The genesis of the GEF-India Ecodevelopment Programme took place in June 1994. The US $67 million project is being funded by the Global Environment Facility through the World Bank. It is being implemented in Palamau in Bihar, Buxa in West Bengal, Nagarhole in Karnataka, Periyar in Kerala, Pench in Madhya Pradesh, Gir in Gujarat and Ranthambhore in Rajasthan. The main beneficiaries of the project, as mentioned, are people living around the protected areas (PA), 39 per cent of these being indigenous people. The main objectives of the project are improved management of PAs, ecodevelopment programmes in the villages, environmental education and awareness campaigns, impact monitoring and research. However, it is alleged that these aims are being ignored in places like Nagarhole.