Principal Chief Conservator of Forests

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Hindi: प्रधान मुख्य वन संरक्षक) is an officer belonging to the elite Indian Forest Service (IFS). He is responsible for managing the Forests, Environment and Wild-Life related issues of a state of India. It is the highest post of an officer of the Indian Forest Service in a State. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest is equivalent in rank with the Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary to the State Government. He is the counterpart of the Principal Secretary to the State Government. At times the states may have more than one posts of PCCF and in that case one of them is designated as the Head of Forestry Force (HOFF). HOFF is in the pay scale of ₹ 80,000 fix. HOFF/PCCF is supported by APCCFs, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Conservator of Forests (CFs) and field level functionaries, such as DFOs and Range Forest officers (RFOs)in his work. .