Odisha carries out major IFS reshuffle; G Rajesh elevated as Additional PCCF (Nodal) as 12 officers transferred across Forest Department
The Government of Odisha has carried out a sweeping reshuffle within the Indian Forest Service (IFS) cadre, effecting wide-ranging transfers and new appointments across the state’s Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Department. Twelve officers have been reassigned in a move that the administration says is aimed at strengthening governance, improving inter-departmental coordination, and reinforcing Odisha’s conservation and environmental management framework at both the policy and field levels.
The most significant appointment in the reshuffle is the elevation of senior IFS officer G Rajesh to the post of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) (Nodal), a role that places him at the apex of coordination within the department.
G Rajesh elevated to Additional PCCF (Nodal)
A 2001-batch IFS officer, G Rajesh was previously serving as Additional PCCF (Planning, Policy and Administration — PP&A) and concurrently as Chief Executive Officer of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). His elevation to the nodal role is widely seen as a recognition of his administrative depth and policy experience, and is expected to significantly enhance inter-departmental coordination while streamlining the implementation of forest and environmental programmes across the state. The nodal position carries with it a broad mandate to oversee communication and execution across the department’s multiple verticals.
Key appointments at the senior level
With G Rajesh’s elevation creating a vacancy in the CAMPA leadership, T Ashok Kumar, who was previously serving as Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) of the Sambalpur circle, has been appointed as Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) and CEO of CAMPA. In addition to this primary charge, he has been given additional responsibility as CCF (PP&A) at the office of the PCCF and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), consolidating a significant portfolio of planning, policy, and CAMPA oversight functions under his stewardship.
Sanjay Kumar Swain, currently posted as RCCF Angul, has been assigned the additional responsibility of Director of the Forest Rangers College, Angul — a training institution of considerable importance for building the operational capacity of the state’s forest service personnel. Meanwhile, Swayam Mallick has been appointed as Special Secretary in the department, while simultaneously continuing in his existing role as Conservator of Forests (CF) and State Silviculturist, making him one of the most multi-tasked officers in the current reshuffle.
Field-level reassignments to sharpen operational delivery
A substantial part of the reshuffle involves the redistribution of field-level responsibilities across the state’s forest divisions and circles, reflecting the government’s intention to ensure more effective ground-level implementation of forest management and conservation policies. P Arthanari will continue as Conservator of Forests for the Cuttack (KL) circle and has additionally been given charge as RCCF of the Bhubaneswar circle, extending his territorial oversight to the state capital’s forest administrative region.
Samrat Gowda has been appointed as in-charge RCCF for the Sambalpur circle and simultaneously assigned multiple additional responsibilities, including the role of General Manager of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) and Conservator of Forests for the Balangir (KL) circle — an expansive set of charges that underscores the department’s emphasis on versatile and efficient deployment of its senior field officers.
At the Divisional Forest Officer level, Sumit Kumar Kar has been posted as DFO of the Similipal South Wildlife Division, one of the state’s most ecologically significant and operationally demanding assignments given Similipal’s status as a tiger reserve and biosphere reserve. Lalit Kumar Patra has been transferred as DFO of the Dhenkanal division, Prashant Patel has been appointed DFO of Jeypore, and Ramesh Kumar takes charge as DFO of Similipal North — completing a significant realignment of the department’s frontline leadership in some of its most critical forest zones.
New leadership at Nandankanan Zoological Park
Mirase Pradeep Devidas, who was serving as DFO Balangir, has been appointed as Deputy Director of Nandankanan Zoological Park — one of Odisha’s premier wildlife conservation and public engagement institutions, and among the most visited zoological parks in eastern India. His appointment brings fresh leadership to an establishment that plays a pivotal role in wildlife breeding, conservation education, and ecological tourism in the state.
A strategic intervention for Odisha’s forests
Odisha’s forests cover approximately 33 percent of the state’s geographical area and are home to a rich diversity of flora, fauna, and tribal communities whose livelihoods are deeply intertwined with forest ecosystems. The effective governance of these resources — across CAMPA-funded afforestation, wildlife protection, timber management, and community forest rights — demands a well-coordinated and experienced administrative structure.
By placing seasoned officers in strategic roles, redistributing field-level charges with an eye on continuity and operational efficiency, and consolidating policy and planning functions at the top, the Odisha government has signalled a clear intent to sharpen both the administrative machinery and the on-ground impact of its forest governance apparatus in 2026.
