The Assam government has launched an online transfer portal for the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, introducing a digital system aimed at making transfers and postings more transparent while improving manpower deployment across the state’s forest and wildlife divisions.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ceremonially launched the portal, which was developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) within a short period. The first phase of the transfer exercise covers six categories of personnel, including Deputy Rangers, Foresters Grade-I and Grade-II, Forest Guards, Fixed-Pay Workers and Game Watchers.
The department said the exercise has been designed to balance administrative requirements with employee welfare, length of service and field-level staffing needs, with particular emphasis on forest conservation and wildlife protection.
Three-Year Tenure to Be a Key Transfer Criterion
Under the new exercise, personnel who have completed three years at their current place of posting have been transferred. The department has also attempted, wherever feasible, to move personnel between the Wildlife, Territorial and Social Forestry wings to provide wider professional exposure.
Transfer preferences submitted by employees aged 58 years and above have been considered as far as practicable. Similar consideration has been given to personnel who have served for five years or more in the Wildlife Wing.
The department has also sought to keep Fixed-Pay Workers and Forest Guards close to their existing places of posting, subject to administrative requirements and the needs of field operations.
Who Is Eligible for Exemption?
The transfer policy provides for exemptions, subject to applicable rules and administrative requirements, for several categories of personnel.
Officials aged 58 years and above are eligible for consideration, unless they have requested a transfer. Employees who have not completed three years at their current posting may also be exempted.
Medical circumstances will be considered in cases where an employee’s spouse, son or daughter is suffering from a serious illness, including cancer, paralysis, cerebral palsy, liver cirrhosis or a condition requiring dialysis.
Pregnancy-related circumstances have also been included among the grounds for exemption. Personnel under suspension may likewise be considered for exemption.
The policy also provides for specialised Wildlife Wing personnel to remain at their existing postings where their expertise is considered essential for wildlife protection and management, based on recommendations from the concerned Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs).
Employees Aged Above 52 Barred From Wildlife Wing Postings
In a separate policy provision, the department has decided that personnel aged 52 years and above will not be posted in the Wildlife Wing.
The measure is intended to ensure adequate field-level manpower for wildlife protection, monitoring and management, where operational requirements demand sufficient personnel on the ground.
Manpower Reallocation Across Forest Divisions
The transfer exercise also seeks to address staffing requirements across the department’s three major wings.
The Wildlife Wing is set to receive additional manpower, with efforts being made to fill as many vacant posts as possible. The move is aimed at strengthening field presence and improving wildlife protection.
The Territorial Wing will also receive additional personnel to support routine forest administration, protection and management. Meanwhile, manpower in the Social Forestry Wing has been rationalised to ensure a more balanced deployment in line with operational needs.
All Divisional Forest Officers have been directed to download transfer orders through their official portal logins and circulate them to the concerned personnel immediately.