India's cheetah population crosses 50 after five cubs born at Kuno National Park
Bhopal (PTI): India's cheetah population crossed the 50-mark on Monday after the birth of five cubs to Namibian cheetah 'Jwala' at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, bringing the national total to 53.
The announcement was made by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who noted that this development comes just days after another cheetah, Gamini, gave birth to four cubs in the same reserve.
The birth of Jwala's quintuplets represents a major victory for 'Project Cheetah' and the success of the country's cheetah reintroduction efforts.
"With this birth, the number of Indian-born thriving cubs has risen to 33, marking the 10th successful cheetah litter on Indian soil -- another important milestone in India's cheetah conservation journey," Yadav said in a post on X.
The minister said the achievement reflected the dedicated efforts, skills, and commitment of the veterinarians, field staff and all involved who continue to work tirelessly on the ground.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hailed the achievement as a "proud moment" for wildlife conservation, describing the population surge as a strong testament to the success of the country's reintroduction efforts.
"Good News from Kuno National Park again... Cheetah Jwala has given birth to 5 cubs, marking another major milestone for Project Cheetah," he posted on X.
The cheetah, the world's fastest land animal, became extinct in India nearly seven decades ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the cheetah translocation project with the release of eight big cats brought from Namibia at KNP on September 17, 2022.
The ambitious project is part of India's efforts to restore the cheetah population and enhance wildlife conservation and tourism in the region.
On February 28, nine cheetahs airlifted from Botswana arrived at KNP and were released into an enclosure.
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SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
