Government Schemes
Bhupender Yadav reviews Great Indian Bustard, grassland and Project Cheetah programmes at Bhuj
13 September 2026 | Press Information Bureau
PIB said Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav chaired a review of flagship programmes at Bhuj, Kachchh, Gujarat on 13 September 2026, covering the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), grassland restoration and Project Cheetah. He said conservation must move from individual species to restoration of whole landscapes.
On the GIB, a roadmap prepared with the Wildlife Institute of India and the Gujarat Forest Department aims at a minimum viable population of over 30 birds and 200 to 500 sq. km of safe, contiguous habitat, with the immediate focus on the roughly 200 sq. km Lala-Rawa landscape. In Naliya, about 11 sq. km of grassland infested with Prosopis juliflora has been restored and a GIB Soft Release Centre has been developed.
Key facts- Species: Critically Endangered Great Indian Bustard
- Focus landscape: Lala-Rawa, about 200 sq. km
- Target: minimum viable population of over 30 birds
- Naliya grassland restored: about 11 sq. km
Exam takeaway: The Wildlife Institute of India is based in Dehradun.
Quick revision: GIB and landscape review at Bhuj (PIB, 13 September 2026).
Press Information Bureau original sourceGovernment Schemes
PIB explainer: Incentive Scheme for Domestic PNG Connections, 1.74 crore connections, 309 Geographical Areas
13 September 2026 | Press Information Bureau
PIB's explainer said PNGRB has authorised City Gas Distribution entities in 309 Geographical Areas, spanning the entire mainland, and that there were 1.74 crore domestic PNG connections as of 18 August 2026. The Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Domestic PNG Connections was launched on 18 August 2026 and came into effect from 1 September 2026.
The scheme rewards CGD entities for converting unbilled connections into active billed ones: for each incremental billed domestic connection beyond a minimum threshold for the Geographical Area, an entity earns an additional allocation of 200 SCM of domestic APM gas, replacing costlier LNG used in the CNG (Transport) segment. The payback period on a domestic connection is expected to fall from about ten years to nearly three years.
Key facts- Geographical Areas authorised: 309
- Domestic PNG connections (18 Aug 2026): 1.74 crore
- Effective from: 1 September 2026
- Incentive per extra connection: 200 SCM of APM gas
Exam takeaway: PNGRB is the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board.
Quick revision: Domestic PNG incentive scheme explained (PIB, 13 September 2026).
Press Information Bureau original source