Govt ensures ex-gratia assistance for human casualties in wildlife conflict: Rana to Shaheen in LA

Jammu: Adequate compensation or ex-gratia relief is provided in cases of human injury or loss of life under the prevailing policy framework on human–wildlife conflict in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
This was stated by Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, while replying to a question raised by Legislator Sajad Shaheen.
Legislators, Choudhary Mohammad Akram, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone and Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi raised supplementary questions on the subject. They urged the government to provide adequate relief measures and ensure inclusion of the agriculture sector and livestock under the relevant schemes to safeguard farmers’ interests.
Responding to their concerns, the Minister said that currently there is no approved policy or budgetary provision specifically earmarked for compensation of livestock losses due to wildlife attacks in the Union Territory. However, he said that the government is in correspondence with the Animal Husbandry Department to provide compensatory support to the farmers in case of loss of animals.
He said that the Forest Department is in talks with the Agriculture Department and other concerned authorities regarding the inclusion of additional crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in case of damage by the wild animals.