BHUBANESWAR: Hundreds of protection squad members of the Forest department have not received their remuneration for the last six months.
While the department claims that delay in release of grants under the centrally-sponsored Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme has triggered a funds crunch in the state, the non-payment of salaries has severely affected forest and wildlife protection and species conservation activities across 21 wildlife and territorial divisions in the state.
Sources in the wildlife wing of the Forest department said the delay in release of funds has resulted in non-payment of remuneration to about 335 protection squad members, who are now discharging their duties under financial distress since November last year.
As per information, under the IDWH scheme, around 67 protection squads each comprising five members, have been engaged on ad hoc basis in 21 wildlife and territorial divisions, and play a crucial role in safeguarding wildlife, improving habitats and mitigating conflicts. However, most of these squad members have not been paid salaries for the last six months owing to delay in release of funds under the scheme.
A forest official from the Baripada division said they have around 10 such members engaged for wildlife management, plantation and forest protection in Similipal-Hadgarh-Kuldiha conservation reserve, a critical corridor supporting the largest population of tigers and many other wildlife species. “However, these squad members are working without any remuneration as Rs 8 lakh to Rs 9 lakh towards their salaries for the last almost six months are yet to be released,” he said.
Officials in Puri wildlife division, which receives funds under IDWH for turtle conservation and other activities, also admitted that they have not been able to pay salaries to about 30 such protection squad members owing to non-release of funds.
Sources in the Forest department said around Rs 30.72 crore had been sanctioned under IDWH for 2025-26 fiscal. However, only Rs 13.40 crore has been released for first two quarters, in a shared Centre-state ratio of 60:40. The balance Rs 17.32 crore has not been released despite the fact that only a day is left for the fiscal to end.
A forest official said funds under the scheme in the previous fiscal (2024-25) had also been released only for three quarters, pushing the department to manage the remaining funds from its own resources. Wildlife officials said the funds have not been released despite timely submission of utilising certificates.
While PCCF (wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha couldn’t be reached for his comments, a senior wildlife official said they have not received any specific timeline for release of remaining funds. “If the delay persists, the department may go for diversion of funds from any other head as a stopgap measure,” he added.