50% of frontline staff posts lying vacant in Karnataka Forest Department
Threatening conservation efforts: Report
Bengaluru: A significant staffing shortfall in the Karnataka Forest Department has raised alarms over the state's ability to manage and conserve its protected areas.
According to a report by Deccan Herald published on Friday, at least 50% of the sanctioned posts for frontline staff in the department are currently vacant, creating serious challenges in safeguarding forests and wildlife.
Forest watchers and guards, responsible for regular beat patrols, afforestation activities, fire control, and anti-poaching operations, are vital to the success of conservation efforts. However, in the past decade, recruitment to fill these vacant posts has slowed substantially, exacerbating the strain on existing personnel.
The situation worsened following the Covid-19 pandemic, which further delayed the hiring process. In the year 2023-24, the government approved the recruitment of 540 forest guards. However, sources reportedly suggest this number is insufficient to bridge the significant staffing gap.
“At least 60% of the 1,892 posts of forest watchers are lying vacant. The vacancy among guards is about 45% of sanctioned strength. Some posts were filled recently, thanks to the ongoing recruitment of 540 personnel. Even among the range forest officers, 26% of the 202 positions are lying vacant. As a result, we have given additional charge of RFO posts to the deputy RFOs. In some cases, it is near impossible to handle the workload. However, the promotion works as motivation for the employees to do better,” DH quoted a senior officer as saying.
The staffing shortage is most acutely felt during the forest fire season, which runs from December to May, when the demand for personnel peaks. Areas prone to human-elephant conflict also face difficulties due to the lack of personnel.
“Within the available resources, the department has set up task forces to tackle elephant and tiger conflicts. However, this is not sustainable in the long run. To address the challenges posed by climate change, we need to shift from damage control to ecological restoration works. That requires more people and resources,” DH quoted an official as saying.
Meenakshi Negi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, acknowledged the staff shortages, noting that the department has recently filled 270 watcher positions. She also confirmed that the recruitment process for the remaining 540 personnel is in its final stages.
However, sources within the government quoted by the news outlet have pointed to internal reservation issues as an additional hurdle in filling vacancies. “The minister’s recent advice to manage the situation with outsourced labourers shows that filling vacancies will take time,” the source said.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS, founded in 1925, describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
