Citing Constitutional complexity, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has rejected the Department of Personnel Training’s (DoPT) proposal to rechristen the Indian Forest Services (IFS) as Indian Forest and Tribal Services (IFST).
The cadre controlling authority of IFS, the MoEF’s move follows inter-ministerial consultation note moved by the DoPT seeking renaming of the service and also train its cadre to be more receptive towards tribals and forest dwellers. The renaming of the IFS to IFTS was suggested by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) which seems to have believed that including ‘T’ in IFS acronym would ensure cordial relations between the IFS officials and tribals as both were in close contact with eachother.
However, turning down the proposal, RK Singh, Joint Secretary on behalf of the MoEF in a letter shot off recently to the DoPT argued that “rechristening of IFS at this juncture would be a long drawn and complex process as it is an All India Service constituted under article 321 of the Constitution of India and may necessitate amendments of the Constitution and consultation with the States.
“Moreover, the objective flagged by the Commission (NCST) can be achieved by incorporating tribal welfare in the mandate of the IFS. Perhaps there is a need for strengthening the linkages between the MoEF and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) to facilitate discharge of functions as envisaged by the commission for overall tribal welfare.”
However, the MoEF refused to buy this argument and instead suggested inducting IFS officials at senior level in the Tribal Welfare Ministry for better management between tribal and forest related activities.
It said that officers (IFS) were entrusted with responsibilities towards not only management of wildlife and forest, tribal welfare as well as several fields such as Rural Development, Pollution control both by the Central and State Governments.
Thus, in this regard, the MoEF suggested that “instead of changing the name of the cadre, it will be worthwhile to induct India Forest Service officers in the Tribal Ministry as well as in the State Governments to look after the works of the tribal department.”
“Moreover, it may be a good idea to have a post of DG (tribal affairs) in the tribal ministry to be headed by a very senior IFS officer,” said Singh in the letter.