Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Appasaheb Nikat has been awarded the State-Level Gold Medal and Certificate of Appreciation by Maharashtra’s Minister of Forests, Ganesh Naik, for his outstanding contributions to forestry services.
The award was presented during a ceremony at the CIDCO Exhibition Centre in Vashi on Friday, attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) Milind Mhaiskar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shomita Biswas, senior forest officials, and staff from across Maharashtra.
The Maharashtra government officially announced this prestigious honor on March 11, recognizing Nikat’s exemplary work in forest conservation, afforestation, and wildlife protection. The event coincided with World Forestry Day celebrations, where Minister Naik praised Nikat’s sustainable forest management initiatives.
As District Forest Officer of Raigad, Nikat led remarkable achievements:
Planted 50 lakh trees
Produced 1 crore saplings
Established modern nurseries, biodiversity parks, and eco-tourism centers
Conducted forest conservation awareness campaigns
Implemented wildfire prevention programs
Protected endangered species (marine turtles, vultures)
Nikat introduced the innovative “Kanya Van Samruddhi Yojana” (2018-2021), distributing 10 fruit and teak saplings for every girl child born across 28,000 gram panchayats.
His leadership significantly reduced forest crimes:
Cracked down on illegal logging and wildlife smuggling
Made multiple arrests and vehicle seizures
Established new conservation reserves in Raigad and Roha
Other notable contributions include:
Anand Ghanvan Plantation
Farm Tree Plantation Scheme
National Green Army Initiative
Soil/water conservation projects
Groundwater recharge systems
Wildlife watering points
“Most schemes were implemented without government funds, through public participation and staff cooperation,” Nikat emphasized. His work sets an exemplary standard in Indian forestry.
