Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has ordered a major administrative reshuffle in its Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, changing the postings and responsibilities of 39 forest officers. The notification, issued on November 10, 2026, includes transfers, promotions and additional charges across the department.
Several senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers have been assigned new responsibilities, while changes have also been made at the level of Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs). Among the prominent appointments, Rajkumar Bajpai has been posted as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF), Research and Training, while Siddharth Tripathi has been appointed Managing Director of the Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation Limited.
Ranchi DFO Shrikant Verma has been placed on the waiting-for-posting list, with Rahul Meena appointed as the new DFO of the Ranchi Forest Division.
Senior IFS Officers Receive New Responsibilities
The reshuffle covers important positions in research and training, CAMPA, human resource development, forest development corporations and vigilance.
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The major changes include:
- Rajkumar Bajpai (IFS: 1994): Appointed Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Research and Training, Jharkhand, Ranchi. He has also been given additional charge of extension forestry for North Chotanagpur, South Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana.
- Jabber Singh (IFS: 1995): Transferred and appointed Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, CAMPA, Jharkhand.
- Karma Jimpa Bhutia (IFS: 1997): Recalled from state deputation and appointed Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Human Resource Development. He will also hold additional charge as Chief Executive Officer of Jharparks.
- Siddharth Tripathi (IFS: 1999): Appointed Managing Director of Jharkhand State Forest Development Corporation Limited. He has also been assigned additional responsibility relating to the Forest Development Agency, Ranchi.
- S.R. Natesh (IFS: 2003): Given additional charge as Chief Conservator of Forests, Vigilance.
- R.M. Pandian: Assigned additional charge as General Manager of the Minor Forest Produce Development Corporation, Hazaribagh, alongside his existing responsibilities.
Several Officers Promoted to Higher Pay Grades
The government has also granted promotions to officers and assigned them new responsibilities in regional forest administration.
The prominent promotions and appointments include:
- P.R. Naidu (IFS: 2008): Promoted to the Chief Conservator of Forests pay grade and appointed Regional Chief Conservator of Forests, Ranchi. Also given additional charge as Director, Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park.
- Saba Alam Ansari (IFS: 2011): Promoted to the Conservator of Forests pay grade and appointed Conservator of Forests, Territorial Circle, Ranchi.
- Abhishek Kumar (IFS: 2011): Promoted and appointed Conservator of Forests, Territorial Circle, Jamshedpur.
- Vijay Shankar Dubey (IFS: 2012): Promoted and appointed Conservator of Forests, Territorial Circle, Medininagar.
- Saurabh Chandra (IFS: 2012): Promoted and appointed Conservator of Forests, Territorial Circle, Deoghar.
P.R. Naidu has also been assigned responsibility for the Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park at Ormanjhi, in addition to his regional forest administration duties.
DFO Postings Changed Across Multiple Forest Divisions
The reshuffle also covers several district and territorial forest divisions, with new officers appointed in Ranchi, Latehar, Dumka, Hazaribagh, Bokaro, Gumla and other locations.
The revised assignments include:
- Aviroop Sinha (IFS: 2016): Appointed DFO, Latehar.
- Mukesh Kumar (IFS: 2016): Appointed DFO, Dumka.
- Vikas Paliwal (IFS: 2017): Appointed DFO, Hazaribagh West.
- Rahul Kumar (IFS: 2017): Appointed DFO, Bokaro.
- Satvik (IFS: 2018): Appointed DFO, Gumla.
- Rahul Meena (IFS: 2019): Appointed DFO, Ranchi.
- Anuradha Mishra (IFS: 2023): Appointed DFO, Lohardaga.
- Mohit Kumar Bansal (IFS: 2023): Appointed DFO, Jamtara.
- Shwetabh Suman (IFS: 2023): Appointed DFO, Dhanbad.
Other appointments reported in the reshuffle include:
- Aditya Narayan: Deputy Conservator of Forests, Training, Ranchi.
- Nitish Kumar: Deputy Director, Jharkhand Wasteland Development Board.
- Ahmed Belal Anwar: DFO, South Chatra, with additional responsibility for North Chatra.
- Aibin Benny Abraham: DFO, Poreyahat.
- Pushkar Kale: DFO, Chaibasa.
- Navneet B.R.: DFO, Giridih West.
- Shwetam Suman: DFO, Dhanbad.
Ranchi DFO Shrikant Verma Placed on Waiting for Posting
One of the notable changes concerns Shrikant Verma, who was serving as the Divisional Forest Officer of Ranchi. He has been placed on the waiting-for-posting list under the latest order.
Rahul Meena, who was previously posted as DFO of North Chatra, has been assigned the Ranchi Forest Division.
The department has also directed officers whose existing positions have been filled by other officials, but who have not received fresh postings, to report to the departmental headquarters.
The latest order brings changes to senior forest administration, regional circles and divisional offices across Jharkhand.
