Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has ordered a major administrative reshuffle in the Forest Department, transferring and posting 69 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers across the state. The Personnel Department issued the orders with immediate effect, marking one of the department’s significant leadership changes in recent months.
The reshuffle also includes the posting of 22 officers who have moved from the Rajasthan Forest Service (RFS) to IFS posts, while 14 IFS officers have been assigned additional responsibilities alongside their existing positions.
Arijit Banerjee Gets Top Forest Post
Among the most prominent appointments, Arijit Banerjee (1991 batch) has been appointed Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), Rajasthan, in Jaipur.
Other key appointments include Anurag Bhardwaj (1993 batch) as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, IT, and Shailja Deval (2004 batch) as Secretary, Environment and Climate Change Department, along with the position of ex-officio Member Secretary of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Rajasthan.
Senior Officers Move Into Key Conservation Roles
The reshuffle has also placed senior officers in positions dealing with forest planning, wildlife, production, conservation and externally aided projects.
Among the appointments, Dr Venkatesh Sharma has been posted as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests for Working Plan and Forest Settlement, while Uday Shankar has been assigned the role of Additional PCCF for Conservation, Awareness and Evaluation. Rajesh Kumar Gupta has been posted as Additional PCCF for Non-Timber Forest Produce and Production.
At the field level, postings include appointments in Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur, as well as important wildlife and tiger-reserve assignments. Dr T. Mohan Raj has been posted as Forest Conservator (Wildlife), Kota, and Field Director of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, while Sugna Ram Jat has been appointed Forest Conservator and Field Director of Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve.
Additional Charges Assigned to 14 Officers
To maintain administrative continuity, the government has also given additional charge of various posts to 14 officers. The assignments include responsibilities involving the Rajasthan State Forest Development Corporation, Rajasthan Biodiversity Board, externally aided projects, administration and training, and regional forest divisions.
The Rajasthan Forest Department continues to oversee forest management, biodiversity conservation and wildlife protection across the state. Its official website lists current administrative orders and postings concerning the IFS and Rajasthan Forest Service.
Why the Reshuffle Matters
The large-scale changes come at a time when Rajasthan is dealing with major conservation and environmental-management challenges, including wildlife protection, habitat management and ecological regulation. The department has recently been involved in initiatives ranging from wildlife conservation in border areas to stronger monitoring of protected landscapes.
The new postings are therefore expected to have implications for forest administration, wildlife management, environmental clearances, biodiversity protection and field-level conservation operations across Rajasthan.
