DEFCC Call Center Contact Number : 0612-2226911 Previously, the Forest Department was a Branch of Revenue department. With the increase of work in the Forest Branch, a separate Department of Forest was set up vide Government Resolution/ Memo no. CSI/R2-108/67-3242 dated 29.06.1967. Later oan, the responsibility of protection & development of Environment was entrusted to this department so its name was changed to in the year 2018 as this department has been made the nodal department to co-ordinate with other line departments of the State for addressing the issues related to Climate Change. Principal objectives of the Department •To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, wildlife, wetlands, ambience, bio-diversity and to rehabilitate the natural ecological system (eco-system). •To create biological resources for catering to various needs of the people on sustainable basis. •To increase tree cover outside forests to achieve the goal of adequate greenery in the state as envisaged in the National Forest Policy. •To implement the provisions under various Acts/Rules related to forest, wildlife & environment. •To strive to achieve the overall goal of the National Forest Policy 1988 with respect to the State of Bihar.

The State of Bihar shares the national vision of sustainable management of forests to meet the needs of present and future generations. The state specific vision includes: • Bringing the vegetative (forest and tree) cover to 17% of the total Geographical area of the State by the year 2022, through afforestation and land use diversification. • Management of Natural Forests and development of rain water harvesting structures. • Rehabilitation of natural forest with priority to local species. • Restoration, conservation and sustainable use of moisture and biological resources maintaining the rich Bio-diversity in the State. • Improvement in services by using Information Management System (IMS), Geographical Information System (GIS) and other modern technologies and scientific knowledge. • Establishing and operationalising a well-equipped Climate Change Knowledge centre. • To cope up with the situation arising out of Climate Change by measures of Mitigation & Adaptation. • Development of a Standard Operation System to manage the man-wild animal conflict by establishing an effective co-ordination with the neighboring States. • Saving the endangered aquatic mammal, the Dolphin, by establishing a National Dolphin Research Centre at Patna to provide knowledge input and support to the efforts for this cause. • To check pollution and provide a hygienic environment to the people in the State. • Management & conservation of forests & water through Eco-system approach. • Development of infrastructure for marketing of wood based industries & minor forest produce. • Increase in income of farmers through Agro forestry.