Question : Crop Damage by Wild Animals

(a) the details of the crop damage by wild animals;
(b) the details of the compensation given to the farmers by the Union Government to the respective States between the year 2014 to 2019;
(c) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to prevent/check the damage to crops by wild animals and if so, the details thereof;
(d) if not, whether the Government proposes to provide relief to the farmers by formulating a Central scheme or grant subsidy to the farmers who suffer losses and if so, the details thereof;
(e) the funds available with the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) along with the fund provided to Madhya Pradesh and the respective work on which the fund was utilised; and
(f) whether any guidelines have also been issued to the States with regard to the nature of works on which the said fund is utilized and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a)&(b) The management of forest and wildlife is the responsibility of concerned State/UT Governments and the details of the crop damage by wild animals are not collated in the Ministry. However, the Ministry provides financial assistance to State/Union Territory Governments as per sanctioned annual plan of operations (APO) under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of ''Development of Wildlife Habitats'' and ‘Project Elephant’ for management of wildlife and its habitats, including for activities like habitat enrichment, solar fences, animal proof trenches around forest, water augmentation, etc.




:2:


The financial support to the States/Union Territories also include component of compensation due to damage by wild animals. The details of financial assistance released to the State/UT under these schemes during 2014-19 are given in the Annexure-I& II.


(c) &(d) The responsibility to formulate the scheme to prevent/check the damage to crops by wild animals lies with the concerned State Governments. However, the Ministry provides financial assistance to State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’, and ’Project Elephant’ for management of wildlife and its habitats in the country. It includes compensation for depredation by wild animals including cattle lifting, crop damage, loss of life and property.

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has modified operational guidelines for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY), under the revised guidelines states have been given liberty to consider providing add-on coverage for crop loss due to attack by wild animals.

(e) An amount of ?60,047.47/- crore was transferred from the state specific bank accounts maintained by the Ad-hoc CAMPA to the Public Account of India created as per Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016 during the period 08.02.2019 to 31.03.2020 and funds to the tune of ?47,872.31 crores were been disbursed to 30 States/Uts, which created the State Fund under the public accounts of such States and reconciled the amount project-wise and component-wise. This included a transfer of 5196.69/- to State Fund, Madhya Pradesh on 29.08.2019. The State/UTs wise information is attached at Annexure-III. State wise accumulation of compensatory levies, its reconciliation and disbursement is a continuous process. In the year 2020-21, ? 500.22 crore has been provided by the Government of Madhya Pradesh for implementation activities as per their approved Annual Plans of Operation (APO). The details of the respective activities, on which the funds have been utilized in the year 2020-21 is attached at Annexure-IV.

(f) Yes, Sir. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Act, 2016 and CAF Rules, 2018 have come into force with effect from 30.09.2019, which inter alia provide the manner of utilization of compensatory afforestation fund. Accordingly, the respective State CAMPAs submit their Annual Plans of Operations (APOs) after the approval of their State Steering Committees, which is finally approved by the Executive Committee in the National Authority.

***