- 51% of all new Forest Department roles to be reserved for women, announces Forest Minister Ganesh Naik
- ‘Van Shakti 2025’ advances women’s leadership in forestry to increase female representation
- The meeting emphasized growth framework highlighting women inclusive hiring practices
Maharashtra has taken a decisive step toward workforce gender equity, with Forest Minister Ganesh Naik declaring that 51% of all future hires in the forest department will be allocated to women, setting a precedent for inclusive hiring practicing in public sector governance.
At the launch of ‘Van Shakti 2025’, a national conference held in Chandrapur to spotlight the contributions of women in forest governance, Naik unveiled a landmark recruitment directive aimed at institutional gender inclusion.
Speaking to a full house of forestry stakeholders, from Indian forest Service officers to self-help groups and eco-tourism operators, Naik underscored the importance of women’s active involvement in forest management. The conference is centered on enabling systemic change through policy co-creation, knowledge exchange, and exploration of legal reforms to support women’s long-term advancement in the sector.
During the media interaction, Naik provided clarity on the forest department’s position regarding the transfer of sized wildlife to private zoological facilities, an issue that surfaced in a recent high-level meeting at the Mantralaya.
Prominent leaders and forestry officials convened for the high-level conference, including MLAs Kishor Jorgewar, Devrao Bhongale, Karan Deotale, and top officials like Upper Chief Secretary Milind Maheshkar, PCCF Shomita Biswas, PCCF (Wildlife) Kanchan Devi, Telangana’s PCCF Dr. Suvarna C, and Chandrapur CCF Jitendra Ramgaonkar. Chief Secretary Sunita Saunik extended her support through a virtual address, highlighting cross-state collaboration in forestry governance.
Highlighting the state’s commitment to wildlife welfare, Naik unveiled progress on the upcoming ‘Suryatara’ centre, an advanced rehabilitation hub envisioned along the lines of Gujarat’s benchmark-setting ‘Vantara’ project.
