Bhopal: In a significant administrative shake-up, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has issued transfer orders for 28 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers and 20 State Forest Service (SFS) officers. This extensive reshuffle affects postings across the Forest Headquarters, tiger reserves, forest circles, working plan units, and the State Forest Development Corporation, reflecting a major restructuring of the state’s forest administration.
Key Leadership Changes at Forest Headquarters
The reshuffle has seen prominent movements among senior officers. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Vibhash Kumar Thakur has been removed from his post in the Conservation Branch of the Forest Headquarters and assigned to head the Research and Extension Branch.
Meanwhile, Amit Kumar Dubey, previously Field Director of Sanjay Tiger Reserve in Sidhi, has been posted as Additional PCCF (Conservation) at the Forest Headquarters, Bhopal.
Additionally, significant changes were made at the level of Deputy Directors in major tiger reserves, including Bandhavgarh and Kanha, reflecting the department’s efforts to strengthen wildlife conservation leadership across the state.
Appointments at Key Forest Circles and Development Units
Kshitij Kumar, who was serving as Officer on Special Duty in the Forest Department Ministry, has been appointed Conservator of Forests for the Bhopal Forest Circle.
Other notable appointments include:
- Praful Neeraj Gulabrao Phulzele – from CCF, State Minor Forest Produce Federation, Bhopal to CCF, State Forest Development Corporation, Bhopal
- Mastram Baghel – from CCF, Ujjain Circle to CCF, Jabalpur Circle
- Kamal Arora – from CF, Jabalpur Circle to CF, Chhindwara Circle
- Madhu V Raj – from CF, Chhindwara Circle to CF, Betul Circle
- Alok Pathak – from CF, State Forest Development Corporation, Bhopal to CF, Ujjain Circle
- Basu Kanojia – from CF, Betul Circle to CF, Khandwa Circle
Significant Transfers at DFO and Working Plan Units
The reshuffle has also impacted officers at the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) level, as well as heads of working plan units across the state:
- Vipin Kumar Patel – DFO Anuppur → DFO Working Plan Jabalpur
- Pradeep Mishra – DFO Indore → DFO Working Plan Unit Betul
- Abdul Aleem Ansari – DFO Noradehi Wildlife → DFO Working Plan Unit Seoni
- Naresh Kumar Dohre – DFO Ratlam → Deputy Conservator of Forests, Head of Forest Force Headquarters, Bhopal
- Prakash Kumar Verma – Deputy Director, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve → Deputy Director, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Mandla
- Puneel Goyal – Deputy Director, Kanha Tiger Reserve → Deputy Director, Pench Tiger Reserve, Seoni
- Ankit Pandey – DFO Gwalior → Officer on Special Duty, Forest Department
- Gaurav Sharma – DFO Katni → DFO Narmadapuram
- Puneet Sonkar – DFO Dindori → DFO Jabalpur
- Ashok Solanki – Deputy Conservator of Forests, Headquarters → DFO Dindori
- Rajneesh Kumar Singh – Deputy Director, Pench Tiger Reserve → DFO Noradehi Wildlife Sanctuary
- Garvit Gangwar – DFO North Panna → DFO Katni
- Mayank Gurjar – DFO Narmadapuram → Deputy Conservator of Forests, Headquarters
- Swaroop Dixit – Deputy Conservator of Forests, Eco-Tourism Development Board → DFO East Chhindwara
- Rishi Mishra – DFO Jabalpur → DFO Chhatarpur
- Sarvesh Sonwani – DFO Chhatarpur → DFO, Public Relations and Sales Depot, New Delhi
- David Vyankatrao – Deputy Conservator of Forests, State Forest Development Corporation → DFO Anuppur
- Arihant Kochar – DFO South Balaghat Production → DFO South Betul
Impact on State Forest Administration
The transfer of 20 State Forest Service officers in senior scale pay grades, alongside the 28 IFS officer movements, is expected to bring significant changes to Madhya Pradesh’s forest governance. Officials say these transfers aim to enhance administrative efficiency, strengthen wildlife conservation, and improve forest management across the state.
The reshuffle also reflects the Forest Department’s focus on promoting leadership flexibility, ensuring officers gain exposure in different forest circles and specialized units such as working plans, wildlife reserves, and development corporations.
Officer Transfer List Summary
The reshuffle covers key posts from PCCF to DFO, including positions in tiger reserves, forest circles, working plan units, and the State Forest Development Corporation. The detailed list of officers’ current and new postings highlights the scale and breadth of the administrative changes.
