COIMBATORE: The state government has hiked the uniform allowance for Tamil Nadu Forest Department staff from Rs 2,800 to Rs 4,500, including the stitching charge, on par with the police personnel.
As per the GO issued by Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, "The state government, after careful examination of the proposal of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), has decided to accept it and enhance the uniform allowance to Rs 4,500 per annum from forest guard to forest range officer, including for the stitching charges, on par with the police personnel, as the duties of the forest department employees include management and protection of forests and wildlife are eligible for receiving the uniform allowance on par with the police personnel.”
The hike will benefit as many as 4,404 staff (current strength), of which 539 are forest range officers, 1,146 foresters, 2,053 forest guards, 126 forest guards with driving licences, and 540 are forest watchers. The sanctioned strength in the forest department is 6,251.
The state government is expected to pay Rs 1,98,18,000 to the 4,404 staff and the GO came into force on Monday. Earlier, forest range officers and foresters were getting Rs 2,800 and forest guards, forest watchers and forest guards with licences were getting Rs 2,650.
Members of the Tamil Nadu Forest Staff Association expressed happiness as one of their main demands has been addressed. TNIE had reported about the issue on January 13, 2024 and April 2, 2025.
"Our long wait for uniform allowance has ended on a fruitful note, as we spend most of the time in the forest diverting the elephants. There have been incidents where shirts and pants were torn during patrol," said S Karthikeyan, president of the association.