Pune: The Forest Department has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Savitribai Phule Pune University to enhance the education and training quality of Range Forest Officers (RFOs) in Maharashtra.

The agreement was signed in the presence of M. Srinivas Reddy, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Research, Education, and Training), and Dr. Suresh Gosavi, Vice-Chancellor of Pune University.

This collaboration aims to provide academic recognition, including M.Sc. degrees and PG diplomas, to RFOs who undergo an 18-month induction training program at the Chandrapur Forest Academy and Kundal Forest Academy. The MoU is intended to improve the skill development of forest officers, focusing on modern forest management and conservation needs.

The MoU will be in effect for five years, starting from the date of signing, and is designed to improve the education and practical training of RFOs. It will align with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, ensuring that the training addresses the current demands of forest management and conservation.

This initiative will help bridge the gap in skilled manpower for forest conservation and equip officers with advanced knowledge of environmental sciences.

Furthermore, it will foster long-term collaboration between educational institutions and government bodies to support sustainable forest management and environmental governance.

Several dignitaries and professors, including Dr. Parag Kalkar, Dr. Jyoti Bhakare, Dr. Sanjay Dhole, Dr. Raymond A. Duraiswami, N.R. Praveen, Ashish Thakre, Mahadev Mohite, Pankaj Garg, and Amol Thorat, attended the signing ceremony.