New Delhi: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has assigned the additional charge of the Forest Protection Division to Krishna Bahadur Singh, popularly known as K. B. Singh, a 1995-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the AGMUT cadre.
Currently serving as Inspector General of Forests (IGF) at the MoEFCC in New Delhi, Singh has more than three decades of experience in forestry administration, environmental governance and central government assignments. His career has included field-level forestry responsibilities across AGMUT cadre regions, statutory work related to forest conservation, and senior positions in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
The latest assignment adds to his responsibilities at the Centre, where he has been associated with forest protection, afforestation, ecological restoration and other forestry-related administrative functions.
Who Is K. B. Singh, IFS?
Krishna Bahadur Singh is a senior Indian Forest Service officer belonging to the 1995 batch of the AGMUT cadre. His officer code is listed as AGMU/117 in the Indian Forest Service civil list. He is a direct-recruit officer whose career has covered field forestry, forest conservation administration and central government policymaking.
The AGMUT cadre covers officers serving across Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories, with postings and assignments determined by the requirements of the service.
Singh’s professional background combines technical education in agricultural engineering with specialised training in forestry. His experience across regional administrations and central ministries has given him exposure to both environmental governance and broader administrative responsibilities.
Read also: Who Is MK Kumar? 2006-Batch AGMUT IFS Officer Transferred from J&K to Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Educational Background and Forestry Training
Singh holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree in Agricultural Engineering. After joining the Indian Forest Service, he underwent professional training in forestry, environmental management and wildlife-related subjects at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun.
His training period extended from 1996 to 1999 and included a postgraduate diploma in forestry. IGNFA is the country’s principal training institution for Indian Forest Service officers, preparing them for responsibilities in forest management, wildlife conservation, environmental protection and public administration.
This technical and professional foundation preceded his assignments in state and Union Territory forest administrations.
Early Career in Mizoram and Other AGMUT Regions
After completing his training in 1999, Singh was assigned to the Government of Mizoram, where he served as an Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) in the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
His early career involved forestry administration in different parts of the AGMUT cadre, including Mizoram and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Such assignments typically involve implementing forest management measures, supervising departmental work and addressing region-specific conservation and administrative requirements.
Singh also served in Arunachal Pradesh as the nodal officer for matters relating to the Forest Conservation Act (FCA). This role involved statutory processes associated with forest land diversion and environmental clearances.
Forest conservation clearances are an important part of environmental administration because they require the relevant authorities to assess proposals involving forest land and ensure compliance with applicable legal requirements. Singh’s experience in this area forms part of his wider background in forest governance.
Central Deputation: Ministry of Women and Child Development
During his career, Singh moved beyond conventional forestry assignments to take up responsibilities in the Central Government.
He served as a Director in the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), where his work involved policy formulation and programme monitoring related to women’s empowerment and child welfare.
The deputation exposed him to the administrative processes of a central ministry, including policy coordination, implementation oversight and interdepartmental work. It also broadened his experience beyond the environment and forestry sector.
Served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs
One of Singh’s significant central government assignments was his tenure as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
In this role, he handled responsibilities relating to internal administration and security. He completed his tenure and returned to his parent cadre in late 2020, according to reports on his service history.
The assignment was a notable departure from his core forestry responsibilities, placing him in a ministry dealing with internal security and wider administrative matters. His experience across the MHA and MWCD reflects the range of responsibilities he has undertaken during his career.
Inspector General of Forests at MoEFCC
In December 2024, Singh took up the position of Inspector General of Forests (IGF) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in New Delhi.
The MoEFCC is the Union Government’s nodal ministry for environmental and forest policies, wildlife conservation, pollution-related matters and climate change initiatives. Its forestry-related divisions handle different aspects of forest administration, conservation, institutional management and implementation of government programmes.
The ministry’s official website lists Krishna Bahadur Singh as an Inspector General of Forests, with responsibilities associated with the Survey and Utilisation and Forest Establishment divisions.
His position at the ministry places him within the central administrative framework responsible for coordinating forest-related work and implementing government policies.
Additional Charge of Forest Protection Division
The latest assignment gives Singh additional charge of the Forest Protection Division at the MoEFCC. The development was reported on October 19, 2026.
The Forest Protection Division is part of the ministry’s broader institutional framework for forest administration. Forest protection is an important area of governance, encompassing measures to safeguard forest areas and support the implementation of conservation-related laws and policies.
The additional responsibility comes alongside Singh’s existing role as Inspector General of Forests. It adds to his portfolio at a time when forest departments face a range of administrative and ecological challenges, including forest degradation, encroachment, fire risks and the need to strengthen conservation efforts.
The assignment also draws on his earlier experience with forest conservation legislation and regional forestry administration.
Responsibilities Linked to CAMPA and Other Forestry Initiatives
Apart from his responsibilities at the MoEFCC, Singh has also been associated with the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) in Maharashtra as Joint Chief Executive Officer (Joint CEO), according to the information provided.
CAMPA oversees the management and use of funds associated with compensatory afforestation and related activities. These funds support afforestation, ecological restoration and other approved measures intended to address the loss of forest land diverted for non-forest purposes.
The effective use of such funds is important for ensuring that compensatory afforestation activities are planned, implemented and monitored in accordance with applicable requirements.
His recent responsibilities have also been reported to include work connected with the Wood-based Industries desk, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) and the Green India Mission. These assignments span different aspects of forestry administration, from forest-related institutions and the regulation of wood-based industries to afforestation and ecosystem restoration.
However, the available reports do not establish that all these responsibilities were assigned through the same order as the latest charge of the Forest Protection Division.
K. B. Singh’s Career at a Glance
- Service: Indian Forest Service
- Batch: 1995
- Cadre: AGMUT
- Officer code: AGMU/117
- Educational qualification: B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering
- Forestry training: Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun
- Current designation: Inspector General of Forests, MoEFCC
- Latest assignment: Additional charge of the Forest Protection Division
- Previous central deputations: Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Home Affairs
- Other reported responsibility: Joint CEO, CAMPA Maharashtra
