360° UPSC Mains Analysis

As Project Cheetah completes 4 years, big cat population in India rises to 52

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Locations

Kuno National Park

Type: region

Context: Primary site for Project Cheetah in India, currently housing 49 cheetahs.

Geo Detail: Located in the Sheopur and Morena districts of Madhya Pradesh within the Vindhyan hill range. It is bisected by the Kuno River, a tributary of the Chambal River, and was upgraded to a National Park in 2018 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

Type: region

Context: The second site in India to receive cheetahs under the restoration programme, currently housing 3 cheetahs.

Geo Detail: Situated on the northern boundary of Mandsaur and Neemuch districts in Madhya Pradesh, bordering Rajasthan. Notified in 1974 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, it is divided into eastern and western parts by the Chambal River.

Namibia

Type: country

Context: Country of origin for the first batch of 8 wild cheetahs released into Kuno National Park in September 2022.

Geo Detail: Located in southwestern Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south. It features the hyper-arid Namib Desert along its coast.

South Africa

Type: country

Context: Country of origin for the second batch of 12 cheetahs imported in February 2023.

Geo Detail: Located at the southern tip of the African continent, bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini. It has a diverse topography ranging from the Kalahari Desert to the Drakensberg mountains.

Botswana

Type: country

Context: Country of origin for the third batch of 9 cheetahs imported in February 2026 to strengthen the international base for cheetah restoration.

Geo Detail: A landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. It is dominated by the Kalahari Desert.

On the Map

Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India

Climate & Geology

The region experiences a tropical monsoon climate with hot summers, a distinct wet season from June to September, and dry winters. Geologically, it is part of the stable Deccan Trap and Vindhyan supergroup, characterized by rocky plateaus, shallow soils, and low seismic risk.

Physical Context

The project spans the semi-arid and dry deciduous forest landscapes of Central India, specifically the Vindhyan hill range in Madhya Pradesh. It connects Kuno National Park in the Sheopur-Morena region with the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in the Mandsaur-Neemuch region, both of which are ecologically linked via the Chambal River basin.

Resource Significance

The dry deciduous forests of this region are dominated by Kardhai, Khair, and Salai trees, which are highly resilient to drought. The Chambal River basin provides critical water resources for wildlife, local agriculture, and the Gandhi Sagar Dam, which is a major source of hydroelectric power.

Institutions

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

Role: Constituted under Section 38L of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2006). It acts as the nodal statutory body overseeing the implementation, funding, and management of Project Cheetah.

Type: statutory

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)

Role: Constituted under Section 5A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. It is the apex advisory body for wildlife conservation policy, whose consultation is mandatory for major ecological interventions and translocations.

Type: statutory

Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

Role: An autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It provides scientific expertise, prepared the 'Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India', and coordinates technical monitoring.

Type: executive

Acts & Statutes

Wild Life (Protection) Act

Year: 1972

Relevance: Provides the primary legal framework for wildlife conservation, the declaration of National Parks (Kuno) and Sanctuaries (Gandhi Sagar), and regulates the translocation of scheduled wild animals.

Key Provisions: Section 12 (grant of permits for translocation and scientific research), Section 35 (declaration of National Parks), Section 38L (constitution of the National Tiger Conservation Authority)

Biological Diversity Act

Year: 2002

Relevance: Enacted to meet obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), regulating access to biological resources and ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Key Provisions: Section 36 (Central Government's power to develop national strategies, plans, and programmes for the conservation of biological diversity)

Judicial Precedents

Case: Centre for Environmental Law, WWF-India v. Union of India

Year: 2013

Significance: The Supreme Court initially quashed the Ministry's decision to introduce African cheetahs into Kuno, holding it arbitrary and in violation of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, due to a lack of scientific study and non-consultation with the NBWL.

Case: Centre for Environmental Law, WWF-India v. Union of India

Year: 2020

Significance: The Supreme Court modified its 2013 order, permitting the introduction of African cheetahs from Namibia to a suitable habitat in India on an experimental basis, monitored by a court-appointed expert committee.

Governance Framework

Under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, 'Forests' (Entry 17A) and 'Protection of wild animals and birds' (Entry 17B) are placed in the Concurrent List (List III), having been transferred from the State List by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976. This division of power requires close cooperative federalism and administrative coordination between the Central Government (via the NTCA) and State Governments (such as Madhya Pradesh) to execute trans-state wildlife translocations and manage habitats.

Constitutional Articles

Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wild life

Article: Article 48A

Relevance: Directs the State to endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country, serving as the constitutional directive for state-led conservation initiatives like Project Cheetah.

Fundamental Duty to protect the natural environment

Article: Article 51A(g)

Relevance: Imposes a fundamental duty on every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.

Trade Angle

Enhances international ecotourism, contributing to foreign exchange earnings and boosting the services trade balance. It also strengthens bilateral environmental diplomacy and technical cooperation with African nations, including Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana.

Macro Impact

While direct impact on national GDP and CPI inflation is minimal, Project Cheetah represents a strategic investment in ecological capital, with over ₹112 crore spent by 2025-2026. Funded through the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAMPA) and Project Tiger, it enhances India's green soft power, potentially attracting international green finance and boosting regional GDP in Madhya Pradesh.

Key Indicators

Effect: Over ₹112 crore allocated for cheetah rehabilitation and habitat development, boosting rural asset creation.

Direction: positive

Indicator: Capital Expenditure on Green Infrastructure

Effect: Increase in local daily-wage employment and tourism-related livelihoods in Madhya Pradesh.

Direction: positive

Indicator: Rural Employment Generation

Effect: Expansion of hospitality, homestays, and local transport services around Kuno and Gandhi Sagar.

Direction: positive

Indicator: Regional Service Sector Growth

Sectoral Impact

The Tertiary sector (tourism, hospitality, and transport) in the Chambal and Malwa regions of Madhya Pradesh experiences a major boost due to rising ecotourism. The Primary sector (forestry and wildlife conservation) benefits from capital infusion for grassland restoration, habitat management, and prey-base development.

Schemes & Policies

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAMPA)

Provides critical statutory funding for wildlife protection and habitat restoration, including siphoning funds for Project Cheetah.

Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger & Elephant

The primary funding vehicle of MoEFCC, providing 60% central assistance for non-recurring and 50% for recurring conservation activities to the NTCA.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) under Companies Act, 2013

Leveraged public-private partnership, with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) contributing over ₹50 crore to support the project.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0

Promotes sustainable tourism and infrastructure development in wildlife and ecotourism circuits like Kuno National Park.

Livelihood Impact

Generates substantial local employment and raises rural wages for indigenous communities, such as the Sahariya tribe, through roles as forest trackers, guides, and homestay operators. Infrastructure development (roads, wireless networks) across 12 monitored districts improves local supply chains and market integration.

Sources consulted

facebook.com nationalheraldindia.com wikipedia.org frontiersin.org youtube.com themetapopulationinitiative.org ntca.gov.in ntca.gov.in substack.com visionias.in

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