Chhattisgarh reshuffles 24 IFS officers in forest department overhaul
Synopsis
Chhattisgarh moved 24 IFS officers in a single order on 8 August, reshuffling its forest department from tiger reserves to corporate wings. The sweep — spanning 2013 to 2022 batch officers — signals a broad realignment of administrative priorities across one of India's most forested states.
Key Takeaways
The Chhattisgarh government transferred 24 IFS officers in a forest department reshuffle on 8 August .
Ganveer Dhammashil appointed as Special Secretary , forest and climate change department.
Uttam Kumar Gupta named in-charge CCF of Indravati Tiger Reserve .
Abhishek Sogawat elevated as General Manager , Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Federation.
Reshuffle covers officers from 2013 to 2022 batches , spanning forest divisions, tiger reserves, and corporate wings.
All postings are temporary until further orders, per the Mahanadi Bhawan directive.
The Chhattisgarh government on Saturday, 8 August carried out a sweeping administrative reshuffle in its forest department, transferring 24 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers across divisions, tiger reserves, and corporate wings. The order was issued from Mahanadi Bhawan in Naya Raipur by the forest and climate change department, with all postings designated as temporary until further orders.
Key Appointments
Ganveer Dhammashil, previously posted in Baloda Bazar district, has been appointed as Special Secretary of the forest and climate change department. Uttam Kumar Gupta has been named in-charge Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) of the Indravati Tiger Reserve.
Duleshwar Prasad Sahu has been assigned charge of the Manendragarh Forest Division, while Pankaj Rajput takes over as the new Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) for Raipur. Prabhakar Khalkho has been appointed in-charge Conservator of Forests for the Sarguja Working Plan Division.
Major Transfers Across Divisions
Sanjiv Bala has been shifted from Indravati Tiger Reserve to the East Manendragarh division, and Mayank Pandey moves from Hasamund to Gariaband. Satyadev Sharma has been transferred from the Chhattisgarh State Forest Development Corporation to Dhamtari as DFO.
Other notable movements include Omprakash Sundi moving to Mahasamund, Jitendra Kumar Upadhyay to Katchora, and Sanjay Yadav returning from the State Forest Development Corporation to Kharagarh. Kumar Nishant has been posted to Marwahi, while Pankaj Kumar Kamal shifts from the corporation in Naya Raipur back to Baloda Bazar.
Corporate Wing and Senior Postings
Abhishek Sogawat has been elevated as General Manager of the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Federation in Naya Raipur. Ranak Goyal joins the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force.
Among further changes, Pushplata Tandan has been appointed DFO of Sarguja-Bilaspur, Loknath Patel moves to Sarguja Ambikapur, and Shashinandan K has been posted to Kanker. Greeshmi Chand has been sent to the State Forest Development Corporation, while Chandrashekhar Shakar Singh Pardeshi takes charge as DFO of Koriya.
Dipesh Kapil moves to Bastar, Jagdalpur, and Chandra Kumar Agarwal to Durg. Krishan Jain has been posted to the State Forest Development Corporation, and Vipul Agarwal to Surajpur.
Scope and Intent of the Reshuffle
The reshuffle spans officers from the 2013 to 2022 batches, covering a wide cross-section of experience levels. According to the department, the exercise is aimed at strengthening administration across forest divisions, tiger reserves, and the corporate wings of the department. This kind of large-scale rotation is consistent with periodic state-level efforts to prevent administrative stagnation and align officer postings with operational priorities in ecologically sensitive zones.
Point of View
Including the politically sensitive Indravati Tiger Reserve. Chhattisgarh is among India's most forested states and its forest department sits at the intersection of conservation, tribal rights, and revenue from minor forest produce. The fact that officers are placed on temporary postings 'until further orders' rather than fixed tenures is worth watching: it preserves administrative flexibility but can also undermine institutional continuity in ecologically critical zones. Whether this reshuffle improves field-level outcomes or simply reshuffles the same pressures to new desks will depend on what mandate, if any, accompanies the transfers.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many IFS officers were transferred in the Chhattisgarh forest department reshuffle?
The Chhattisgarh government transferred 24 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in a single order issued on 8 August from Mahanadi Bhawan, Naya Raipur. The reshuffle covers officers from the 2013 to 2022 batches.
Who has been appointed to head the Indravati Tiger Reserve?
Uttam Kumar Gupta has been named in-charge Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) of the Indravati Tiger Reserve as part of the 8 August reshuffle order.
What is the purpose of the Chhattisgarh forest department reshuffle?
According to the department, the reshuffle aims to strengthen administration across forest divisions, tiger reserves, and corporate wings. All postings are designated as temporary until further orders.
Who has been appointed Special Secretary of the forest and climate change department?
Ganveer Dhammashil, previously posted in Baloda Bazar district, has been appointed Special Secretary of the forest and climate change department in Chhattisgarh.
Which batches of IFS officers are affected by the Chhattisgarh transfer order?
The reshuffle covers IFS officers from the 2013 to 2022 batches, spanning a broad range of seniority levels across field divisions, tiger reserves, and the corporate wings of the department.
