To ensure conservation of Great Indian Bustard (GIB), the state bird on verge of extinction, the Government of Rajasthan would launch a project to establish Captive Breeding Conservation Centre. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Union Government would extend support to these efforts.

Officials of the two governments and WII and international experts worked-out a plan for this in a day-long workshop on Friday. As per the agreement, a GIB hatching centre would be established in the Desert National Park (DNP) region in Jaisalmer district. Later on, it was considered, to set up a GIB breeding centre at Sorasan in Baran district.

After the workshop, participant officials met Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje and briefed her about the plan for conservation of the big bird. She said saving the GIB was important for conservation of environment. An IEC of the local should be done for this, to ensure a participatory conservation programme.

Smt. Raje directed the state officials to speed-up efforts for rehabilitation of population in the DNP area and ensure that they were extended the benefits of various government schemes. She further directed for distribution of cooking gas connections in the periphery of DNP. She suggested that the local youth should be encouraged to volunteer for Bustard conservation on the lines of such a scheme in the forest reserve in Sawai Madhopur.

In the meeting the bird conservationists Shri Keith Scotland of Uzbekistan and Shri Juan Carlos Alonso of Spain shared the details of Bustard conservation project in their respective countries. They also agreed to share their experience and expertise for the conservation efforts here in Rajasthan.

During this, Forest and Environment Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Khinvsar, Additional Chief Secretary Forest and Environment Shri NC Goyal, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shri Charles S Ratnasamy, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shri GV Reddy, Additional Director General of Police Shri Ajit Singh, Members of State Wildlife Board Shri Valmik Thapar and Shri Vikram Grewal, Shri YV Jhala, Representatives of Bombay Natural History Museum Shri Asad Rehmani and Shri Ranjeet Singh, other senior officials of the Forest Department were present.

Jaipur, 28th April 2017