President Murmu Urges Community-Led Forest Conservation
President tells Indian Forest Service probationers to balance ecological protection with people's aspirations
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 17th July: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday urged probationers of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) to promote community-led forest conservation, saying ecological protection would be more effective and sustainable when local communities become stakeholders in preserving forests.
Addressing probationers of the 2024 and 2025 IFS batches at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, the President said forest officers are not merely administrators but custodians of India’s natural heritage, with a critical role in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.
She said forests are central to environmental security and advised the young officers to focus on increasing forest cover, describing forests as the foundation of life on Earth.
Emphasising a balanced approach, the President said conservation and development should go hand in hand. She urged the officers to engage tribal communities, forest dwellers, women, farmers and local institutions in conservation, restoration and sustainable livelihood initiatives.
Murmu said public service is about improving people’s lives and noted that ecological security is integral to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. She expressed confidence that the officers would help ensure India’s development remains green, inclusive and sustainable.
The probationers currently undergoing professional training at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, include 111 officer trainees from the 2024 batch and 131 trainees from the 2025 batch, with each batch also comprising two officer trainees from Bhutan.
