ICICI Pru Life, WWF India to aid protection to forest staff

ICICI Prudential Life today said it has joined hands with World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India) to aid protection to front line protection staff, including forest guards, foresters and range officers through ex-gratia funding in the event of their death or permanent disability while on official duty.
"Forest guards and other protection staff do a commendable job in protecting forests and wildlife. They face challenges and risk their lives while carrying out their everyday duties. Protection is a must for every individual with responsibilities," ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Managing Director and CEO Sandeep Bakhshi told reporters here.
"Through our partnership with WWF, we aim to provide financial protection, in the form of ex-gratia payment to the frontline forest guards and their families," Bakhshi said.

He said this partnership is for three years covering 15,000 staff in 15 states entailing over Rs 1.8 crore.
The programme will be extended to the frontline staff of 15 forests under WWF-India's 10 priority landscapes (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala) and provide support to the forest guards.
"We are looking to extend this initiative to more than 15 states. We are also in talks with other corporates for facilitating medical and hospitalisation for frontline forest staff," WWF-India Secretary General and CEO Ravi Singh said.

He said, working in extreme conditions, frontline forest staff are in constant danger while safeguarding our country's endangered species and wilderness areas.
"With this initiative, we aim to motivate and aid such foot soldiers, whose work is beneficial to our country now and will create consequential and positive impact for future generations," he added.