Kerala budget 2025: Rs 50 crore package for mitigation of man-animal conflict

KOCHI: Admitting that there is a significant population near forest areas, finance minister K N Balagopal announced a special package of Rs 50cr for ‘curbing wildlife attacks and protecting the populace in the forest areas'. The minister stated that the package is beyond the plan allocation for various activities in the forest and wildlife sector.
The budget has allocated a total of Rs 305.61cr for the forestry and wildlife conservation sector. Last year, the total allocation for the sector was Rs 232.59cr. However, sources said only Rs 186cr has been given to the department so far.
Even though the allocation has been increased, there is no announcement to reduce anthropogenic activities, which contribute to rising man-animal conflicts.
The minister claims in the budget that the forest sector, in 2025-26, gives thrust to improving water security, mitigating human-animal conflicts and securing the lives and livelihoods of forest-dependent communities by keeping the forest ‘as a safeguard against climate change'.
However, the budget failed to announce measures to study the causes of man-animal conflict. "Recent budgets have failed to set aside even one percent of the total allocation to the forest department. Forests are ensuring water availability and are supporting agriculture. Still, govt is not giving any priority to it. There is not even a step to understand the change of land use around the forests, which leads to man-animal conflicts," a forest official said.
The minister has announced Rs 3.50cr for improving elephant sanctuaries at Periyar, Anamudi, Nilambur and Wayanad. Projects for tribal community have also been announced. A total of Rs 1,020.44cr has been announced for the upliftment of the ST community.
A sum of Rs 5cr has been earmarked for the construction of model residential schools in tribal areas whereas Rs 32cr has been set aside for the comprehensive tribal health programme. An amount of Rs 3cr has been earmarked as a special development package for the Paniya community.