Odisha likely to raise snakebite death compensation from Rs 4L to Rs 10L: Minister

Compensation for deaths caused by snakebite may soon see a major rise. While the current compensation stands at Rs 4 lakh, the Supreme Court has directed that the amount should be increased to Rs 10 lakh, paving the way for a major and nationwide revision.

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This was informed by Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Wednesday.

At present, the compensation amount is fixed by the Central government. Several state governments, including Odisha, had earlier written to the Centre urging an upward revision in the payout, citing increased mortality and financial distress among affected families.

According to Revenue Minister Pujari, the Supreme Court’s directive—issued during the hearing of a specific case—has now cleared the way for enhancing the relief amount. He added that the long-standing demand to increase compensation for snakebite deaths may finally be addressed once the Centre formally notifies the revised amount.

The directive is expected to bring relief to thousands of families in rural and forest-fringe regions, where snakebite remains a major public health hazard.

“Central government declares certain natural disasters as national disasters, such as cyclones and floods, which come under the Union List. Previously, the Odisha government had amended the State List and included compensation for damages due to unseasonal rain under this List,” the Revenue Minister said to mediapersons.

“Deaths due to drowning, lightning strike, and snakebite, etc, come under the Union List. However, the amount of prevailing compensation money applies to all states. They do not have the authority to either increase or decrease it,” the Minister stated.

“Earlier, we had written to the Central government, citing that the amount is insufficient. Recently, the Supreme Court has also decreed in a similar vein,” the Minister added.