NTCA holds 28th meeting and Project Elephant its 22nd Steering Committee at Sundarbans
The 28th Meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the 22nd Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant were held at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, West Bengal on 21 December 2025 under Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
Summary
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) held its 28th Meeting, and Project Elephant its 22nd Steering Committee Meeting, at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in West Bengal on 21 December 2025, chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. The NTCA meeting ratified Technical Committee decisions including approval of Tiger Conservation Plans and the extension and expansion of Project Cheetah, reviewed the expansion of Project Cheetah to Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Banni Grassland in Gujarat, and took stock of the sixth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation, whose ground surveys began in November 2025. The Project Elephant Steering Committee reviewed the All-India Synchronized Elephant Estimation and human–elephant conflict, and the Minister released six publications including the NTCA outreach journal STRIPES and the TRUMPET quarterly journal.
Key facts
- Date and venue
- 21 December 2025, Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, West Bengal
- Meetings
- 28th NTCA meeting; 22nd Steering Committee of Project Elephant
- Chair
- Bhupender Yadav, Union Environment Minister
- Previous NTCA meeting
- 27th, on 18 April 2025
- Project Cheetah
- Expansion to Gandhisagar WLS and Banni Grassland (Gujarat)
- Tiger estimation
- Sixth cycle of AITE; ground surveys from November 2025
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Where were the 28th Meeting of the NTCA and the 22nd Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant held on 21 December 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
PIB 2207157: both meetings were held on 21 December 2025 at the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, West Bengal.
'STRIPES', one of the publications released at the Sundarbans meetings in December 2025, is the outreach journal of which body?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — National Tiger Conservation Authority
PIB 2207157: the Minister released the latest issue of STRIPES, NTCA's outreach journal.
Consider the following statements about the 28th NTCA meeting held in December 2025: 1. Updates included the expansion of Project Cheetah to the Banni Grassland in Gujarat. 2. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister. 3. Ground surveys for the sixth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation commenced from November 2025. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 1 and 3 only
PIB 2207157: updates covered Project Cheetah's expansion to Gandhisagar WLS and the Banni Grassland in Gujarat, and AITE ground surveys began in November 2025. The meeting was chaired by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, so statement 2 is wrong.