Lok Sabha Question No. 1130 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Relocation of Villages from Forest Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Vishnu Dutt Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1130

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.11.2019

## Relocation of Villages from Forest Areas

## 1130.  SHRI VISHNU DATT SHARMA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  scheme  formulated  by  the  Government  for  the  relocation  and  rehabilitation  of  villages from forest area for the development of Tiger Reserve Forest in the country;
- (b) whether the Government has provided basic facilities like road transportation, water etc. to the people living in such villages and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government provides compensation to the villagers in case of attack by any wild animal and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  formulating  any  scheme  to  do  away  with  the  provision  of  FIR against the villagers in case their animals stray into the Tiger Reserve Forest; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) & (b) The Government of India through the National Tiger Conservation Authority (Normative Standards for Tourism activities and Project Tiger) Guidelines, 2012 issued under section 38 O (1) (c) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, has an incentivized voluntary  village  relocation  programme  which inter  alia provides  for  community facilities like access roads, irrigation and drinking water.  The details of the packages are as under:
- Option I Payment  of  the  entire  package  amount  (Rs.  10  lakhs per   family)   to the    family    in    case    the    family    opts    so,    without  involving    any rehabilitation  and relocation  process  by  the  Forest Department.
- Option II Carrying out relocation and rehabilitation of village from protected area and tiger reserve by the Forest Department.
- (i) In case of option I, a monitoring  process  involving  the District Magistrate of  concerned District would be ensured so that the villagers  rehabilitate  themselves  with  the  package  money  provided  to them. In this regard, a mechanism involving handholding, preferably by external agencies should also be ensured, while depositing a

considerable portion of the amount in the name of the beneficiary  in  a nationalized  bank  for  obtaining  income  through interest generated.

- (ii) In    case    of    option    II,    the    following    package    (per    family)    is proposed, at the rate of Rs. 10 lakhs per family, namely:

| (a)   | Agriculture land procurement (2 hectare) and development                                                                                                                                                        | :   | 35% of the total package   |
|-------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----|----------------------------|
| (b)   | Settlement of rights                                                                                                                                                                                            | :   | 30%of the total package    |
| (c)   | Homestead land and house construction                                                                                                                                                                           | :   | 20% of the total package   |
| (d)   | Incentive                                                                                                                                                                                                       | :   | 5%of the total package     |
| (e)   | Community facilities commuted by the family (access road, irrigation, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, tele- communication, community center, religious places of worship, burial and cremation ground) | :   | 10% of the total package   |

The rehabilitation process is monitored and implemented by the following two Committees, namely:

State level Monitoring Committee consisting of:

| Designation                                                      | Status           |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|
| Chief Secretary of the State                                     | Chairman         |
| Secretaries of related departments                               | Members          |
| State Principal Chief Conservator of Forests                     | Member           |
| Non-official members of respective Tiger Conservation Foundation | Members          |
| Chief Wildlife Warden                                            | Member-Secretary |

District  level  Implementing  Committee  for  ensuring  convergence  of  other sectors, consisting of:

| Designation                                                                                                                                                                                       | Status           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|
| District Collector                                                                                                                                                                                | Chairman         |
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO)                                                                                                                                                                     | Member           |
| Representative officials from Public Works Department (PWD), Social Welfare, Tribal Department, Health Department, Agriculture Department, Education Department, Power and Irrigation Departments | Members          |
| Deputy Director of the tiger reserve or protected area                                                                                                                                            | Member Secretary |

- (c) The Government of India through the National Tiger Conservation Authority under the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger provides for compensation of Rs. 2 lakhs in case of loss of human life, while the compensation for serious injury is 30% of the amount of compensation on death, besides meeting the cost of treatment of minor injuries to people due to wildlife.
- (d) & (e) There is no such dispensation.

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