Cabinet raises compensation for fatal animal attack to Rs 10 lakh

Pioneer News Service
Ranchi

The Jharkhand state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, increased the compensation for human deaths caused by wild animal attacks to Rs 10 lakh, up from the previous Rs 4 lakh. This major policy revision also includes significantly higher payouts for injuries, property damage, and livestock loss.

The revised compensation package also seeks higher payouts for injuries, crop losses, livestock deaths and property damage caused by wild animals, alongside a streamlined mechanism for faster relief disbursal.

The proposal comes amid growing incidents of human-elephant conflict and wildlife-related casualties across several Jharkhand districts, particularly in forested regions where encounters between humans and wild animals have become increasingly frequent.

Under the proposed framework, the family of a person killed in a wildlife attack would receive an immediate relief amount of Rs 1 lakh after local verification, while the remaining compensation would be processed through a structured mechanism. The proposal also includes a monthly pension of Rs 2,000 for eligible dependents for up to three years.

Compensation for serious injuries may increase from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, while relief for minor injuries could rise from Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000.

Human-wildlife conflict remains a persistent challenge in Jharkhand, particularly in districts such as West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharsawan, Latehar, Gumla and Simdega, where elephant movement frequently affects villages and agricultural fields.

Officials believe the proposed revision, if approved, would provide greater financial security to affected families and improve the state’s response to wildlife-related emergencies.

In another cabinet decision, ex-post facto approval was granted for the appointment of Advocate Rohitashya Roy to the post of Advocate General of the State of Jharkhand.

The Jharkhand government on Sunday appointed Advocate Rohitashya Roy as the new Advocate General (AG) of the State.

Roy was appointed as the State’s top law officer after Senior Advocate Rajiv Ranjan, who had been appointed as the AG in 2020, resigned from the post.

In a notification issued by the State law department, Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted Ranjan’s resignation and appointed Roy to the post till further orders.
Administrative approval was granted for the widening and strengthening (into four lanes, including land acquisition and utility shifting) of the Namkum to Doranda Road (MDR-002, total length 6.70 km) under the Road Division, Ranchi, at a cost of Rs. 162 crore.

Approval was granted for the permanent transfer of 5.84 acres of ‘old fallow unpopulated land’ (situated in Mauza-Balardih, East Tundi Block, Dhanbad District) to the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Jharkhand (Ranchi) for compensatory afforestation.

Approval was granted regarding the pay scale and contractual remuneration for the sanctioned posts of Computer Operators in various offices of the State Government.

Approval was granted to extend the duration of the Jharkhand State Wide Area Network (JharNet 2.0) project from the financial year 2023-24 to the financial year 2026-27.

Approval was granted for the coal mining lease covering an area of 2,174.52 acres (880 hectares) across the villages of Kendulia, Diberda, Birajdih, Nawadih, Telgariya, Devgram, Parbatpur, Tiltand, Amlabad, Karmatand, Nayavan, Silphor, and Fatehpur—located in the Parbatpur Coal Block of Chandankiyari Circle, Bokaro District. In today’s cabinet decision, more than 25 agendas were approved.