New Delhi: The Asiatic lion population in India steadily expanded from 523 individuals in 2015 to 891 in 2025, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on Monday. Marking World Lion Day 2026 through an official statement on social media, the minister highlighted that the steady growth of big cats reflects the country’s dedicated commitment to biodiversity protection, demonstrating that national development and wildlife conservation can progress together effectively.
The minister noted that focused conservation measures under Project Lion—announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2020—have successfully expanded the total lion range across Gujarat’s Saurashtra region from nearly 30,000 square kilometres in 2020 to approximately 35,000 square kilometres. The initiative employs a holistic landscape-level framework focusing on critical habitat preservation, advanced veterinary care, disease monitoring systems, technology-aided population tracking, and local community benefit-sharing models to secure the big cat’s long-term survival.
In a related national news development, the Supreme Court of India on Monday granted permission to Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee to travel abroad for three weeks in September to receive specialized eye treatment. A three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana set aside an earlier Calcutta High Court order restricting his travel, emphasizing that every individual retains the fundamental right to seek medical treatment of their choice. The apex court permitted the parliamentarian to travel using his diplomatic passport while instructing him to share his complete itinerary and hospital details confidentially with investigating agencies.
