The correct option is 1973.
Explanation
Project Tiger is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- It was launched on April 1, 1973.
- The project was inaugurated at the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
- The primary objective was to ensure the maintenance of a viable population of the Bengal tiger in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural, and ecological values.
- While the Wildlife (Protection) Act was enacted in 1972 to provide the legal framework for the protection of various species, the specific conservation programme for tigers commenced the following year.
Key Takeaway: Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to conserve the Bengal Tiger and preserve its natural habitats.