New Delhi, February 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the Union Cabinet's decision on the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance, saying it marks a major step towards conserving "our majestic big cats and their habitats". The Union Cabinet Thursday approved the creation of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to set up a global network for the conservation of tigers and other big cats.

The India-headquartered alliance was conceived as a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries and others to establish a common platform for conservation. Tiger Population in India in 2022 Was 3,167, Reveals Latest Census Data Released by PM Narendra Modi.

In a post on X, Modi said, "The Cabinet decision on the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance, headquartered in India, marks a major step towards conserving our majestic big cats and their habitats, and also reinforcing India's leadership in global biodiversity conservation." Leopard Attack Caught on Camera: Big Cat Attacks Sleeping Dog, Carries it Away in Pune's Ambegaon; Disturbing Video Surfaces.

Out of the seven big cats (tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah), five -- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah -- are found in India. The Cabinet has cleared a one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore for the IBCA for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)