Lok Sabha Question No. 1652 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-31
Subject: Project Great Indian Bustard
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sangamlal Kadedin Gupta, C. R. Patil, P.P. Chaudhary, Ramapati Ram Tripathi, Anurag Sharma

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1652

TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2023

## Project Great Indian Bustard

1652. SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA:

SHRI C.R. PATIL:

SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

DR. RAMAPATI RAM TRIPATHI:

SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

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

- (a) whether the Government is considering to launch 'Project Great Indian Bustard' (GIB) on the lines of Project Tiger and Project Elephant;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to conserve and protect the GIB;
- (d) the  number  of  GIB  found  in  the  country  as  on  the  date  along  with  its geographical location; and
- (e) the measures taken by the Government to engage the local communities in the conservation of GIB?

## ANSWER

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

(a), (b) and (c)

The Ministry provides financial assistance to the States under the Recovery Programme for saving critically endangered species and its  habitats  and conservation and management of protected areas components  of  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  -  Development  of Wildlife Habitats for conservation and protection of Great Indian Bustard. Further, the Ministry 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'  under  the  CAMPA  in  the  year 2016.

The other important steps  taken by the  Government to conserve and protect the Great Indian Bustard in the country are as follows:

- i. Important habitats of Great Indian Bustards are designated  as  National  Parks/  Sanctuaries  for  their

better protection.

- ii. 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.
- iii. 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.
- iv. Based on the proposal from India, Great Indian Bustard has been included in Appendix I of Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of  Wild  Animals.  It  was  also  the  mascot  of  the prestigious  13th  CMS  Conference  of  Parties  held  in Gandhinagar giving wider publicity for the conservation of the species.
4. (d) As  per  the  information  available  with  the  Ministry,  the  total number of Great Indian Bustards in India is about 150 found in the  States  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
5. (e) Funding  support  is  provided  to  the  States  for  carrying  out  ecodevelopment activities, organizing awareness and nature education  programs,  publicity  and  educational  materials  etc.  to garner  support  of  local  communities  for  conservation  of  Great Indian Bustard.

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