The State Government has issued orders for setting up the Tamil Nadu Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee.
It will be headed by an officer in the rank of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and a Member-Secretary in the rank of Conservator of Forests. It will have two members, of whom one will be the Managing Director of a corporation or an officer recommended by him and the other in the rank of Chief Conservator of Forests.
The committee is being set up as there is a ban on direct recruitment of staff in the Forest Department and, as vacancies are being filled only through promotion, the average age of watchers and guards is around 50. Moreover, the employment offices send a list based on seniority and the age of candidates is not found suitable for these posts.
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According to existing procedure, the PCCF has to ask the district and zonal employment offices to send a list of eligible candidates for the posts of foresters, forest guards, forest guards with driving licence and watchers.
Considering the time taken for obtaining lists from the employment offices and other administrative difficulties, the government, accepting a proposal from the PCCF, formed the TN Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee by an order dated June 29.
The committee is in line with the TN Uniformed Services Recruitment Board that recruits constables, head constables and sub inspectors of police.
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As announced by the Chief Minister in the Assembly on May 15, the committee will recruit the staff required for the department.
A sum of Rs.4 lakh per year has been sanctioned for the administrative expenses of the committee.