# Ministry of Forest (Maharashtra)

The Ministry of Forests (Maharashtra) is a Ministry of the Government of Maharashtra. It is headed by Cabinet Minister Ganesh Ramachandra Naik .

## Cabinet Ministers

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Constituency) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Chief Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Constituency) | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Chief Minister |
| Minister of Forests Department ||||||||||
| 01 | | | B. G. Gadhe (MLA for Jalna North Constituency No. 101- Jalna District) (Legislative Assembly) | 01 May 1960 | 07 March 1962 | 1 year, 310 days | Indian National Congress | Yashwantrao I | Yashwantrao Chavan |
| 02 | | | D. S. Palaspagar (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 19 - Bhandara District) (Legislative Council) | 08 March 1962 | 19 November 1962 | 256 days | Indian National Congress | Yashwantrao II | Yashwantrao Chavan |
| 03 | | | D. S. Palaspagar (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 19 - Bhandara District) (Legislative Council) | 20 November 1962 | 24 November 1963 | 1 year, 4 days | Indian National Congress | Kannamwar l | Marotrao Kannamwar |
| 04 | | | Parashuram Krishnaji Sawant (MLA for Chiplun Constituency No. 265- Ratnagiri District) (Legislative Assembly) (Interim Chief Minister) | 25 November 1962 | 04 December 1963 | 9 days | Indian National Congress | Sawant | Parashuram Krishnaji Sawant |
| 05 | | | Vasantrao Naik (MLA for Pusad Constituency No. 81- Yavatmal District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) | 05 December 1963 | 01 March 1967 | 3 years, 86 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao I | Vasantrao Naik |
| 06 | | | Parashuram Krishnaji Sawant (MLA for Chiplun Constituency No. 265- Ratnagiri District) (Legislative Assembly) | 01 March 1967 | 27 October 1969 | 2 years, 240 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao II | Vasantrao Naik |
| 07 | | | Vasantrao Naik (MLA for Pusad Constituency No. 81- Yavatmal District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) | 27 October 1969 | 13 March 1972 | 2 years, 138 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao II | Vasantrao Naik |
| 08 | | | Shankarrao Chavan (MLA for Bhokar Constituency No. 85- Nanded District) (Legislative Assembly) | 13 March 1972 | 04 April 1973 | 1 year, 32 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao III | Vasantrao Naik |
| 09 | | | Madhukar Dhanaji Chaudhari (MLA for Raver Constituency No. 11- Jalgaon District) (Legislative Assembly) | 04 April 1973 | 17 Match 1974 | 347 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao III | Vasantrao Naik |
| 10 | | | Narendra Mahipati Tidke (MLA for Savner Constituency No. 49- Nagpur District) (Legislative Assembly) | 17 Match 1974 | 21 February 1975 | 341 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantrao III | Vasantrao Naik |
| 11 | | | R. J. Deotale (MLA for Bhadrawati Constituency No. 72- Chandrapur District (Legislative Assembly) | 21 February 1975 | 16 April 1977 | 2 years, 54 days | Indian National Congress | Shankarrao I | Shankarrao Chavan |
| 12 | | | R. J. Deotale (MLA for Bhadrawati Constituency No. 72- Chandrapur District (Legislative Assembly) | 17 April 1977 | 07 March 1978 | 1 year, 324 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantdada I | Vasantdada Patil |
| 13 | | | Nashikrao Tirpude (MLA for Bhandara Constituency No. 61- Bhandara District) (Legislative Assembly) (Deputy Chief Minister) | 07 March 1978 | 18 July 1978 | 133 days | Indian National Congress (Indira) | Vasantdada II | Vasantdada Patil |
| 14 | | | Sadanand Varde (MLA for Vandre Constituency No. 176- Mumbai Suburban District) (Legislative Assembly) | 18 July 1978 | 18 February 1980 | 1 year, 124 days | Janata Party | Pawar I | Sharad Pawar |
| 15 | | | Ganpatrao Deshmukh (MLA for Sangola Constituency No. 235- Solapur District (Legislative Assembly) | 19 November 1979 | 18 February 1980 | 91 days | Peasants and Workers Party of India | Pawar I | Sharad Pawar |
| 16 | | | Abdul Rahman Antulay (MLA for Shrivardhan Constituency No. 193- Raigad District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) | 09 June 1980 | 21 January 1982 | 1 year, 226 days | Indian National Congress | Antulay | Abdul Rahman Antulay |
| Minister of Forests Department and Minister of Social Forestry ||||||||||
| 17 | | | S. M. I. Aseer (MLA for Ahmednagar South Constituency No. 223- Ahmednagar District (Legislative Assembly) | 21 January 1982 | 02 February 1983 | 1 year, 12 days | Indian National Congress | Bhosale | Babasaheb Bhosale |
| 18 | | | Surupsingh Hirya Naik (MLA for Navapur Constituency No. 04- Nandurbar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 07 February 1983 | 05 March 1985 | 2 years, 26 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantdada III | Vasantdada Patil |
| 19 | | | Surupsingh Hirya Naik (MLA for Navapur Constituency No. 04- Nandurbar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 12 March 1985 | 03 June 1985 | 83 days | Indian National Congress | Vasantdada IV | Vasantdada Patil |
| 20 | | | Surupsingh Hirya Naik (MLA for Navapur Constituency No. 04- Nandurbar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 03 June 1985 | 12 March 1986 | 282 days | Indian National Congress | Nilangekar | Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar |
| 21 | | | Vilasrao Deshmukh (MLA for Latur City Constituency No. 235- Latur District) (Legislative Assembly) | 12 March 1986 | 26 June 1988 | 2 years, 106 days | Indian National Congress | Shankarrao II | Shankarrao Chavan |
| 22 | | | Chhedilal Gupta (MLA for Gondiya Constituency No. 134- Gondiya District) (Legislative Assembly) | 26 June 1988 | 03 March 1990 | 1 year, 250 days | Indian National Congress | Pawar II | Sharad Pawar |
| 23 | | | Sharad Pawar (MLA for Baramati Constituency No. 201- Pune District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) | 03 March 1990 | 25 January 1991 | 328 days | Indian National Congress | Pawar III | Sharad Pawar |
| 24 | | | Datta Meghe (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 15 - Wardha District) (Legislative Council) | 25 January 1991 | 25 June 1991 | 151 days | Indian National Congress | Pawar III | Sharad Pawar |
| 25 | | | Madhukarrao Pichad (MLA for Akole Constituency No. 213- Ahmednagar District (Legislative Assembly) | 25 June 1991 | 26 December 1991 | 184 days | Indian National Congress | Sudhakarrao | Sudhakarrao Naik |
| 26 | | | Shankarrao Genuji Kolhe (MLA for Kopargaon Constituency No. 219- Ahmednagar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 26 December 1991 | 22 February 1993 | 1 year, 58 days | Indian National Congress | Sudhakarrao | Sudhakarrao Naik |
| Minister of Forests Department ||||||||||
| 27 | | | Surupsingh Hirya Naik (MLA for Navapur Constituency No. 04- Nandurbar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 06 March 1993 | 18 November 1994 | 1 year, 257 days | Indian National Congress | Pawar IV | Sharad Pawar |
| 28 | | | Ganesh Naik (MLA for Belapur Constituency No. 151- Thane District) (Legislative Assembly) | 14 March 1995 | 01 February 1999 | 3 years, 324 days | Shiv Sena | Joshi | Manohar Joshi |
| 29 | | | Gopinath Munde (MLA for Renapur Constituency No. 236 - Latur District) (Legislative Assembly) (Deputy Chief Minister) | 01 February 1999 | 11 May 1999 | 99 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Rane | Narayan Rane |
| 30 | | | Sudhir Joshi (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 21 - Mumbai City District) (Legislative Council) | 11 May 1999 | 17 October 1999 | 159 days | Shiv Sena | Rane | Narayan Rane |
| 31 | | | Surupsingh Hirya Naik (MLA for Navapur Constituency No. 04- Nandurbar District) (Legislative Assembly) | 19 October 1999 | 16 January 2003 | 3 years, 89 days | Indian National Congress | Deshmukh I | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| 32 | | | Vijaysinh Mohite–Patil (MLA for Malshiras Constituency No. 254- Solapur District) (Legislative Assembly) | 18 January 2003 | 01 November 2004 | 1 year, 295 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Sushilkumar | Sushilkumar Shinde |
| 33 | | | R. R. Patil (MLA for Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal Constituency No. 287- Sangli District) (Legislative Assembly) (Deputy Chief Minister) | 01 November 2004 | 09 November 2004 | 8 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Deshmukh II | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| 34 | | | Babanrao Pachpute (MLA for Shrigonda Constituency No. 226- Ahmednagar District (Legislative Assembly) | 09 November 2004 | 01 December 2008 | 4 years, 22 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Deshmukh II | Vilasrao Deshmukh |
| 35 | | | Babanrao Pachpute (MLA for Shrigonda Constituency No. 226- Ahmednagar District (Legislative Assembly) | 08 December 2008 | 06 November 2009 | 333 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Ashok I | Ashok Chavan |
| 36 | | | Patangrao Kadam (MLA for Palus-Kadegaon Constituency No. 285- Sangli District) (Legislative Assembly) | 07 November 2009 | 10 November 2010 | 1 year, 3 days | Indian National Congress | Ashok II | Ashok Chavan |
| 37 | | | Patangrao Kadam (MLA for Palus-Kadegaon Constituency No. 285- Sangli District) (Legislative Assembly) | 11 November 2010 | 26 September 2014 | 3 years, 319 days | Indian National Congress | Prithviraj | Prithviraj Chavan |
| 38 | | | Sudhir Mungantiwar (MLA for Ballarpur Constituency No. 72- Chandrapur District) (Legislative Assembly) | 31 October 2014 | 12 November 2019 | 5 years, 12 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis I | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 39 | | | Devendra Fadnavis (MLA for Nagpur South West Constituency No. 52- Nagpur District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief_Minister) In Charge | 23 November 2019 | 28 November 2019 | 5 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis II | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 40 | | | Eknath Shinde (MLA for Kopri-Pachpakhadi Constituency No. 147- Thane District) (Legislative Assembly) | 28 November 2019 | 30 December 2019 | 32 days | Shiv Sena | Thackeray | Uddhav Thackeray |
| 41 | | | Sanjay Rathod (MLA for Digras Constituency No. 79- Yavatmal District (Legislative Assembly) | 30 December 2019 | 28 February 2021 | 1 year, 60 days | Shiv Sena | Thackeray | Uddhav Thackeray |
| 42 | | | Uddhav Thackeray (MLC for Elected by MLAs Constituency No. 25 - Mumbai Suburban District) (Legislative Council) (Chief Minister) | 28 February 2021 | 29 June 2022 | 1 year, 121 days | Shiv Sena | Thackeray | Uddhav Thackeray |
| 43 | | | Eknath Shinde (MLA for Kopri-Pachpakhadi Constituency No. 147- Thane District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief Minister) In Charge | 30 June 2022 | 14 August 2022 | 45 days | Shiv Sena (Shinde Group) | Eknath | Eknath Shinde |
| 44 | | | Sudhir Mungantiwar (MLA for Ballarpur Constituency No. 72- Chandrapur District) (Legislative Assembly) | 14 August 2022 | 26 November 2024 | 2 years, 135 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Eknath | Eknath Shinde |
| 45 | | | Devendra Fadnavis (MLA for Nagpur South West Constituency No. 52- Nagpur District) (Legislative Assembly) (Chief_Minister) In Charge | 05 December 2024 | Incumbent | 62 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis III | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 46 | | | Ganesh Naik (MLA for Airoli Constituency No. 150- Thane District) (Legislative Assembly) | 21 December 2024 | Incumbent | 46 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Fadnavis III | Devendra Fadnavis |

## Ministers of State

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Deputy Minister (Constituency) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Minister | Chief Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Deputy Minister (Constituency) | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Minister | Chief Minister |
| Deputy Minister of Forest |||||||||||
| Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | 23 November 2019 | 28 November 2019 | 5 days | NA | Fadnavis II | Devendra Fadnavis | Devendra Fadnavis |
| 01 | | | Dattatray Vithoba Bharne (MLA for Indapur Constituency No. 200- Pune District (Legislative Assembly) | 30 December 2019 | 29 June 2022 | 2 years, 181 days | Nationalist Congress Party | Thackeray | Sanjay Rathod (2019 - 2021) Uddhav Thackeray (2021 - 2022) | Uddhav Thackeray |
| Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | 30 June 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 220 days | NA | Eknath | Eknath Shinde (2022 - 2022) Sudhir Mungantiwar (2022 - Present) | Eknath Shinde |