The Gujarat government has formalised a voluntary relocation package offering eligible Maldhari families from Barda Wildlife Sanctuary a one-time payment of Rs 15 lakh and a free 100-square-yard residential plot, linking wildlife protection with a structured resettlement programme.
The package has been approved through a government resolution and is intended to enable families living in the sanctuary to move outside the protected area while gaining access to government development schemes. Each eligible family will receive the compensation in a single instalment, in line with guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
The relocation plan comes as Barda’s importance as a habitat for Asiatic lions increases. The sanctuary was home to 26 Asiatic lions in August 2026, compared with 17 in August 2025, according to the details reported by the Times of India. The government’s stated objective is to protect wildlife within the sanctuary while providing relocating families with residential land and financial support.
Families that opt for relocation will surrender any recognised rights or interests they hold within the sanctuary area. The resolution also states that they will not be eligible for further compensation after accepting the package. This condition makes the relocation decision a permanent settlement of claims linked to the sanctuary, rather than an interim assistance measure.
District-level committees will identify suitable land outside Barda Wildlife Sanctuary and its eco-sensitive zone. The selected sites must be located at least 10 kilometres from municipal corporation limits and five kilometres from municipality limits. The government may allot land near an existing village, allowing families to relocate as a group and remain connected to established rural settlements and services.
The package also addresses the needs of families that keep livestock. Eligible livestock owners may receive a separate plot of up to 1,000 square yards for their animals. This land will be allotted at market value, with its cost deducted from the Rs 15 lakh compensation. The balance will then be paid to the family. The arrangement recognises that relocation for Maldhari households involves both residential space and land for livestock, although the animal-use plot will not be free.
The resolution sets out a broad definition of separate family units for eligibility purposes. Every son above the age of 18 will be treated as a separate family, regardless of marital status. Unmarried daughters and sisters above 18, people with physical or mental disabilities, minor orphans who have lost both parents, widows and divorced women will also qualify as separate families even if they live with relatives.
Collectors of Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka will lead district-level committees responsible for verifying family details, examining supporting documents, determining eligibility and identifying relocation sites. A state-level committee headed by the additional chief secretary of the forest department will supervise implementation. Families choosing relocation may also receive priority under state housing and animal husbandry schemes, according to the government resolution.
