Shomita Biswas Becomes Maharashtra's First Woman Forest Chief
Shomita Biswas, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer from the 1988 batch, has taken over as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) in Maharashtra. She succeeds Shailesh Tembhumikar, becoming the first woman to hold this top position in the state's Forest Department.
Before assuming this additional charge, Biswas served as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and CEO of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). She effectively implemented CAMPA projects in the state, coordinating well with both state and central governments. Her previous roles also include Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Ayush, and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Government of India.
During the handover ceremony, Biswas honored the outgoing chief, Shailesh Tembhumikar, with a shawl and a shreefal. The event was attended by senior officials, including Mahip Gupta (PCCF, Wildlife), M Srinivasa Rao (PCCF, Production and Management), P Kalyan Kumar (APCCF, Budget, Planning, and Development), and Naresh Zurmure (APCCF, Nodal Officer).
