Gujarat Action Plan for Great Indian Bustard Released at Bhuj

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav chaired a review of flagship programmes at Bhuj in Kachchh, Gujarat, on 13 September 2026. The meeting covered the Great Indian Bustard, grassland restoration and Project Cheetah. Gujarat's Forest and Environment Minister Shri Arjun Modhwadia attended. Officials of the Wildlife Institute of India and the National Tiger Conservation Authority were present.

The Gujarat Action Plan for GIB

The Minister released the Gujarat Action Plan for GIB Conservation. The Wildlife Institute of India prepared it with the Gujarat Forest Department. The Great Indian Bustard is listed as Critically Endangered. The plan aims to build a minimum viable population of over 30 birds. It also seeks to secure between 200 and 500 sq km of safe, connected habitat. The immediate focus is the Lala-Rawa landscape of about 200 sq km.

Work already done at Naliya

About 11 sq km of grassland at Naliya has been cleared of the invasive Prosopis juliflora and restored. An enclosure of 15 sq km has been secured with 30 km of predator-proof fencing. Nest predators are being managed. In a jump-start step, infertile eggs laid by wild females were replaced with viable eggs from the conservation breeding programme. The chick from the second such attempt survived beyond its first three months in the wild. A GIB Soft Release Centre has been built near Naliya for captive-bred birds brought from Rajasthan.

Project Cheetah figures

Grasslands

Grasslands cover nearly 24 per cent of India's land area. They remain among the most degraded and least protected ecosystems in the country. A five-year national assessment has been proposed with the Wildlife Institute of India, ICFRE and the Forest Survey of India, supported by National CAMPA. It will map and assess Open Natural Ecosystems, including the Banni Grassland of Gujarat.