Lok Sabha Question No. 816 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-12
Subject: The Great Indian Bustard
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 816

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2022

## The Great Indian Bustard

## 816. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether there is any proposal to revive the dwindling number of Godavan in various States ofthe country including Rajasthan and if so, the detailsthereof;
- (b) whether a project named 'in-Situ Conservation Plan for Great Indian Bustard' was  submitted  by  theState  Government  of  Rajasthan  and  if  so,  the  details of the present status thereof; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  releaseany  financial  assistance  for  the said project and if so,the details thereof including time frame if any and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) The Ministry has taken various steps for conservation and protection of Great Indian Bustard in the country, including the State of Rajasthan. Some of the measures taken for conservation of Great Indian Bustard are as follows:
- i. The  Great  Indian  Bustard  is  listed  in  Schedule-I  of  the  Wild  Life (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby according it the highest degree of legal protection from hunting.
- ii. The  species  has  been  identified  for  conservation  efforts  under  the component 'Species Recovery Programme' of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme  (CSS)  -  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitat.  Financial  and technical assistance is provided to the State/ Union Territory Governments  under  the  scheme  for  providing  better  protection  to Great Indian Bustard and its habitat.
- iii. The  Ministry  has  taken  initiative  for  conservation  breeding  of  the Great  Indian  Bustard  in  collaboration  with  Rajasthan,  Gujarat  and Maharashtra Forest Departments and technical support from Wildlife

Institute of India, Dehradun. The Ministry has sanctioned an outlay of Rs.  33.85  crores  for  the  duration  of  seven  years  for  the  programme titled  'Habitat  Improvement  and  Conservation  Breeding  of  Great Indian Bustard-an integrated approach'. The objective of this programme is to build up captive population of Great Indian Bustard and to release the chicks in the wild for increasing the population and also to promote in-situ conservation of the species.

- iv. A Conservation Breeding Centre at Ramdeora and a satellite conservation  breeding  facility  with  incubator,  hatcher,  chick  rearing and housing for captive birds has been established at Sam in Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan. A  total of twentythree (23) GIB  chicks, artificially  hatched  from  the  eggs  collected  from  the  wildare  being reared in these conservation breeding facilities.
- v. Important habitats of Great Indian Bustards are designated as National Parks/ Sanctuaries for their better protection.
3. (b) and (c) The Ministry provides financial  assistance to  States/  Union  Territoriesunder the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Development  of  WildlifeHabitats  for conservation  ofwildlife,  including  for  Great  Indian  Bustard.Aproposal  was received in the  Ministry from  the  Government  of  Rajasthanfor  in-situ conservation of Great Indian Bustard. The Ministry hascommunicated to the Government of Rajasthan  that  the  proposal  should  beapproved  by  the  State Board for Wild Life and submitted for considerationof funding support.