Settler farmers in Wayanad hail hike in compensation

Central funding for each eligible family raised from ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh

Settler farmers in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) and environmental organisations in the district have welcomed the decision of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change (MoEFCC) to enhance the rate of funding from ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh to each eligible family under the ongoing voluntary village relocation project of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). A recent order issued by Rajendra G. Garawad, Deputy Inspector General, NTCA, also urged State governments to execute the directive with immediate effect. According to the earlier guidelines of the scheme, a son above 18 years irrespective of his marital status, unmarried daughter above 18 years, physically and mentally challenged persons irrespective of their age and sex, minor orphan, and widow or woman divorcee will be treated as separate families. The eligible families were provided with a compensation of ₹10 lakh each, irrespective of the nature or extend of the land they possessed.