Kolkata: Hema Malini, Bollywood actor and Rajya Sabha MP, has allotted funds to set up the first cat shelter of India in the West Bengal capital.

Hema Malini told IANS over telephone: "There are several shelters for dogs but none for cats, whereas the number of stray cats are increasing every day. In this shelter not only will stray cats be vaccinated against rabies, but will also be sterilised."

Hema Malini has chosen NGO People For Animal (PFA) to plan and build the shelter in Mukundapur area off the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in the city's eastern fringe.

Managing trustee of PFA Debashis Chakraborty told IANS: "We had requested Hema Malini to allot us funds to control stray cats. She has given us Rs.200,000 for the project."

Joint commissioner of Kolkata Corporation Shahidul Islam said: "Our engineers inspected the site Friday. The funds have also reached us. We will soon start working on the project."