Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has accorded approval to give jobs of Home Guard to 434 people, who are kin of victims killed by elephants. On October 6, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that jobs would be given to one family member of a person who was killed in human-animal conflict. In the first phase, 434 people from 11 districts including Alipurduar, Jhargram, Kalimpong, West Midnapore, Howrah, Cooch Behar, South 24-Parganas, Purulia, Bankura, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri will get the jobs, cited a notification issued by the state Home and Hill Affairs department on Friday. Earlier, the state Forest department had provided the data that as many as 584 people in 14 districts of the state were killed by wild animals from 2015 to October 31 this year. Out of the same, jobs enrolment as home guards had been recommended for 434 people in the first phase. Beneficiaries hail from both north and south Bengal. The highest number of beneficiaries is from Jalpaiguri—that is 96, followed by Alipurduar (73), South 24-Parganas (66) and Bankura (62). As many as 46 and 47 people will get jobs in Jhargram and West Midnapore respectively. In Darjeeling, 26 people will be recruited while 8 hail from Kalimpong. Their enrolment will be made in relaxation of educational qualification, physical standard, age and residence proof as stated in the West Bengal Home Guard Rule 1962. Earlier at Kharagpur, the Chief Minister had said besides the cash compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh, the next kin of the victim would also get a job. During her visit to Jhargram, she had handed over appointment letters of government jobs to family member of a resident, who was trampled to death by an elephant.

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