In a major reshuffle, Rajasthan government transfers 69 IFS officers including inducting 22 state service officers into Indian Forest Service (IFS). Besides, six officers of 2024 batch, who were under training at Dehradun, have been given their first posting. As many as 14 officers have been given additional charges while Khyati Mathur, who was serving as Chief Conservator of Forests in Ajmer has been put on APO.
Two months ahead of his retirement, Arijit Banerjee, who was serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF), has been formally designated as Head of Forest Force (HoFF) continuing to serve as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
Banerjee, a 1991 batch officer, had twice served in Chief Minister Office when Vasundhara Raje was the CM. Rajasthan government, recently in a cabinet meeting, has decided to plant 50 crore trees in five years. While 25 crore trees have already been planted as per Industry Minsiter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, 25 crore trees are to be planted in remaining two and half years of this government.
Vijai N, who was serving as Secretary Environment and Climate Change department and ex-officio Member Secretary of SEIAA, has been transferred as Chief Conservator of Forests, Establishment. He has been replaced by Shailaja Deval, who was serving as Chief Conservator of Forests, Research and ex-officio State (Silviculturist).
Vijai N will also take charge of Chief Conservator of Forests (Coordination).
Gaurav Garg, who was suspended after a controversy in Bhilwara and later placed on awaiting posting order (APO), has been posted as Deputy Conservator of Forest, E-Governance, Headquarters. An IIT graduate had brush with controversy early in his career.
Anurag Bhardwaj, a 1993 batch IFS officer, who was serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Working Plan and Forest Settlement and IT, has been left with portfolio of IT while the post of Working Plan and Forest Settlement has been given to Venkatesh Sharma, who was serving as Managing Director, Rajasthan State Forest Development Corporation.
Bhardwaj has been additional charge of Chairman, Rajasthan Biodiversity Board and Chief Project Director (EAP). Shikha Mehra, who is serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Development), has been given additional charge of Managing Director, Rajasthan State Forest Development Corporation.
Udai Shankar, who was serving as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and CEO CAMPA, has been transferred as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Monitoring and Evaluation. He has been given additional charge of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Administration & Training).
Rajesh Kumar Gupta, Additional Principal Conservator of Forests (External Aided Projects), has been transferred as Additional Principal Conservator of Forests NTFP and Production. He has been given additional charge of Additional Principal Conservator of Forests (Coordination) and (Labour and Law).
