Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is giving compensation to families who lose a member in a wild animal attack, and the death relief now stands at ₹25 lakh after the state raised it from ₹8 lakh. Injury cases are also covered, with treatment costs paid along with a daily amount for the days spent in hospital.
Claims are handled by the Forest Department through the local Forest Range Office, and payment goes straight to the bank account of the family or the injured person. Snake bites and monitor lizard cases stay outside this scheme, which is the one point most people get wrong while applying.
Compensation for Human Death or Injury Caused by Wild Animals
This scheme covers people living in Madhya Pradesh, both in villages near forests and in towns, who get hurt or lose a family member because of a wild animal. Tiger, leopard, elephant, bear, wild boar and similar animals come under it. Cases near tiger reserves like Bandhavgarh and Kanha form a big share of the claims every year.
Money for this comes from the state budget of the Forest Department. As per Times of India reporting, Madhya Pradesh paid over ₹88 crore in five years for human and livestock losses caused by wild animals, so the payment system is running and claims do get settled.
Compensation Amount After Revision
Amount for death was earlier ₹4 lakh and later ₹8 lakh. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the increase to ₹25 lakh in November 2024, and that rate applies to fresh cases now. Injury payment is separate and works on actual bills.
| Case | Amount |
|---|---|
| Death | ₹25,00,000 (less any temporary amount already paid and treatment costs already met) |
| Permanent disability | Up to ₹7,50,000 as per case grading |
| Serious injury | Actual treatment costs, up to ₹5,00,000 in serious cases |
| Minor injury and hospital stay | Treatment bills plus ₹500 per day of admission |
Forest Department pays in a time-bound way. Death claims are cleared within 3 working days of the report reaching the range office, and injury claims within 7 working days after checking. Payment is by e-payment into the bank account, so the account should be live and linked with the correct name.
Key Details of the Scheme
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Compensation for Human Death or Injury Caused by Wild Animals |
| Launched By | Forest Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh |
| Level | State |
| Eligible people | Residents of Madhya Pradesh hurt or killed in a wild animal attack |
| Benefit Amount | ₹25 lakh for death, treatment costs and daily amount for injury |
| Application Mode | Offline at Forest Range Office, online through Van Suvidha portal |
| Payment Mode | Cash benefit by e-payment to bank account |
| Official Website | mpforest.gov.in |
Who Can Apply
Rules are simple, but each condition matters at the time of checking. Read them once before filing the claim.
- Person must be a permanent resident of Madhya Pradesh and the incident must have happened inside the state.
- Injury or death must be caused by a wild animal attack, reported to the forest staff of that area.
- Cases of snake bite, monitor lizard and other poisonous creatures are not covered under this scheme.
- For a death case, the claim has to be filed by a legal heir or an immediate family member of the person who died.
How to Apply
Most families apply offline because the forest staff usually reaches the spot first and starts the panchnama. Online filing is possible through the Forest Department service portal.
STEP 1 - Inform the nearest forest beat guard, range officer or the local police as soon as the incident happens. Quick reporting helps because the forest team has to do the spot inspection and prepare the panchnama with witness statements.
STEP 2 - Go to the Forest Range Office of your area and ask the staff for the claim form for human death or injury by wild animal. Fill in the name of the person affected, date and place of the incident, animal involved and bank account details.
STEP 3 - Attach copies of identity proof, residence proof, bank passbook, and the death certificate or hospital papers as per the case. Sign the form and hand it over at the office counter.
STEP 4 - Take an acknowledgment with the date and reference number on it. Keep this safe, since any follow up on the claim is easier with the reference number.
STEP 5 - For online filing, open the Van Suvidha portal of Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, pick the compensation service, register with your mobile number, fill the form and upload the same documents in scanned form.
STEP 6 - After the range officer checks the papers and the spot report, the sanction is passed and the amount reaches the bank account by e-payment. If the claim is rejected, an appeal can be filed with the Divisional Forest Officer within 30 days, and a second appeal with the Conservator of Forests within 60 days.
Documents Required
Keeping the papers ready saves a lot of running around later. Forest staff usually ask for these at the time of filing.
- Identity proof of the applicant, such as Aadhaar card or Voter ID card.
- Residence proof showing the person belongs to Madhya Pradesh.
- Bank passbook copy with account number and IFSC code clearly visible.
- Death certificate and postmortem report in death cases.
- Hospital admission papers, treatment bills and discharge summary in injury cases.
- Copy of the panchnama or the report made by forest or police staff.
Help Number and Contact
For any problem in a pending claim, the district Forest Office is the first place to check. Complaint help is also available on CM Helpline number 181, which works for all state department matters in Madhya Pradesh. Details of the entitlement are listed on the state helpline site as well.
Related Schemes
Madhya Pradesh Forest Department runs a few more relief schemes for losses caused by wild animals. Farmers and cattle owners can look at Compensation for Livestock Loss Caused by Wild Animals, Compensation Amount Towards Cattle Injury Caused by Forest Animals and Compensation for Crop Damage Caused by Wildlife.
References
Official and news sources for the details given above:
- Madhya Pradesh Forest Department official website
- Van Suvidha service portal of Forest Department
- CM Helpline entitlement page for this scheme
- Times of India report on compensation raised to ₹25 lakh
FAQ's
How much money is given if someone dies in a wild animal attack?
Family gets ₹25 lakh now. Earlier this was ₹8 lakh, and the state raised it in November 2024, so fresh cases are settled at the higher rate.
What is paid in injury cases?
Actual treatment costs are paid, along with ₹500 for each day of hospital admission. Serious injury and permanent disability cases are graded separately and can go up to ₹7.5 lakh.
Is the scheme still running in 2026?
Yes. Forest Department is still settling claims and payments continue through the range offices and the Van Suvidha service portal.
Are snake bite deaths covered?
No. Snakes, monitor lizards and other poisonous creatures are kept out of this scheme. Such cases go under the state disaster relief rules instead.
How long does the payment take?
Death claims are cleared within 3 working days and injury claims within 7 working days once the report and papers are complete.
Where should the claim be filed?
At the nearest Forest Range Office of the area where the incident happened, or online through the Forest Department service portal.
Is there any fee for applying?
No fee. Filing the claim and getting the payment is free, and no agent is needed for it.
What if the claim gets rejected?
An appeal can be filed with the Divisional Forest Officer within 30 days. If that answer is not satisfactory, a second appeal goes to the Conservator of Forests within 60 days.
Can town residents also claim?
Yes. Anyone living in Madhya Pradesh can claim if the attack happened in the state, whether the place is a village near the forest or a town area.
How does the money reach the family?
By e-payment straight into the bank account given in the form, so the account details must be correct and active.