Gujarat Forest and Environment Minister Mulubhai Bera and Minister of State Mukesh Patel on Saturday announced a hike of up to 122 per cent as assistance to farmers for the construction of scaffolding platforms to reduce incidents of conflict with lions. The government also raised by 40 per cent the amount provided for the construction of parapet walls around open wells in farms. With growing conservation efforts, the population of wild animals, including the Asiatic lion, has gradually increased in the state’s Bruhad Gir (Greater Gir) region and other areas, leading to a rise in incidents of human-lion conflict, according to sources.