Forest & Environment Department,
Government of Sikkim
Executive Body Approves Reconstitution of East FDA as Gangtok Forest Development Agency
Gangtok, 23 June 2026: The first meeting of the Executive Body for the proposed Gangtok Forest Development Agency (Gangtok FDA) was held at the office of the District Collector, Gangtok, under the observership of District Collector Shri Rohan Agawane, IAS.
During the meeting, the Executive Body unanimously approved the proposal to rename and reconstitute the existing East Forest Development Agency (East FDA) as the Gangtok Forest Development Agency. The decision follows the creation of Gangtok District and is intended to align forest governance, conservation initiatives, and developmental interventions with the district’s revised administrative boundaries.
The proposed Gangtok FDA will have jurisdiction over all Khasmal, Goucharan, Reserve Forests, and other forest lands within Gangtok District. The agency will comprise 20 Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) currently functioning within the district across the Kyongnosla, Gangtok, Ranipool, Singtam, and Tumin forest ranges.
Addressing the Executive Body, Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial), Gangtok Division, Shri Kshitij Saxena, IFS highlighted the significance of the proposed agency and outlined its anticipated benefits. These include decentralised decision-making, expeditious implementation of forestry and development programmes, improved fund management and monitoring systems, and enhanced community participation in forest conservation and livelihood generation activities.
The Executive Body also deliberated on the roadmap for operationalising the new agency. The proposed measures include obtaining formal approval for the renaming and reconstitution of East FDA, transferring the assets, records, and member committees of the existing agency, and completing registration under the Sikkim Registration of Societies, Associations and Other Voluntary Organizations Act, 2008.
The meeting concluded with a formal resolution to establish the Gangtok Forest Development Agency, marking a significant step towards strengthening participatory forest management and promoting sustainable forest-based development in Gangtok District.
Present in the meeting were ADM, Gangtok Mr Sisum W. Bhutia, ADC(DEV) Gangtok Rajani Sharma, DDA, Gangtok Susmita Lama Tamang, Jt Director (DEO) Gangtok Basu Dev Adhakari, Addl Director AH & VA Dr. Zeruiah Bhutia, Div Engg GWS, PHED Puspa Sharma, Jt Director District Industries & Commerce Gangtok Janak Chetteri, DFO (SF) Mr Anup J. Baniya, DFO (NTFP) Mr Dhiraj Khati, DFO (E & SC) Mr Churamani Bhandari.
