Guwahati: To address the rising human-wildlife conflict in Assam, the state government has announced a series of initiatives aimed at safeguarding both human lives and biodiversity.

Presenting the state budget for 2025-26, Finance Minister Ajanta Neog outlined key measures to promote coexistence between humans and wildlife.

The budget proposes a substantial increase in ex-gratia compensation for human fatalities caused by wildlife encounters, rising from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Similarly, compensation for crop damage due to wildlife incursions has been increased from Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,000 per bigha, offering relief to affected farmers.

The budget also proposes a revamp of Kaziranga National Park, one of Assam's premier wildlife sanctuaries.

Safari Gypsies will also be replaced with modern, eco-friendly vehicles, preferably electric, to minimize environmental impact. A dedicated budget allocation of Rs 20 crore has been made for this initiative.

The government has launched the Gaja Mitra Scheme in five districts identified as the most vulnerable to elephant-related incidents. The scheme will focus on enriching elephant habitats, deploying AI-powered camera traps for real-time alerts, and advancing paddy procurement to minimize human-elephant confrontations.

The budget also states about the safety of Assam's primates, including the endangered Hoolock Gibbons and Golden Langurs. Scientificall

designed canopy bridges with safety nets are to be installed across major wildlife corridors to prevent fatal accidents caused by infrastructure encroachments.

Additionally, power infrastructure in wildlife movement zones will be fortified to prevent electrocution incidents.