The Gazetteers Department

Historical Background: The villages in ancient India had always been autonomous units and their characteristic feature in administration was the prevalence of freedom and autonomy in governing the village institutions.

During the British administration some efforts were made to revive the local self-governing institutions in India with a view to train the people in the administration of such institutions by giving them representation in these local bodies.

Vidarbha organised its grain panchayats and nyaya panchayats in 1946. After the reorganisation of the erstwhile State of Bombay, the Village Panchayats Act was passed in 1958 under which a village panchayat mandal was set up for every district. Along with this step, nyaya panchayats were also organised for groups of five or more village panchayats.

With the attainment of freedom, India started efforts towards economic and social advancement and planned economy was accepted as the guiding principle. Community Development Programmes and National Extension Service were envisaged to improve the lot of the rural populace. But after a lapse of time the Government realised that the progress of rural development was not commensurate with the expectations and that this was mainly due to non-participation of the villagers in the implementation of such developmental schemes though a trend could be noticed among the masses for undertaking more developmental activities. To investigate into the causes behind such a state of affairs the Government appointed a committee called the 'Balwantrai Mehta Committee.'

The Committee visited the development activities and inter-viewed government officials and social workers. The report submitted by the Committee pointed out that the Government could not succeed in appealing and attracting leadership of the masses in participating in the Community Development and National Developmental Schemes because the local self-governing institutions did not take any deep interest in such work. There was too much of government interference in the working of the local bodies. The Committee found remedy in the decentralisation of power and responsibility at the lower level. It, therefore, suggested that the responsibility for such regional and local development work should be assigned to such local bodies at the district level with Government accepting the role of guiding, supervising and planning from a higher level, making available the required finances and so on. It recommended the formation of local committees on par with Block Development Committees to be named as Panchayat Samiti and at district level a district committee to be called as Zilla Parishad. Thus the Village Panchayat, the Panchayat Samiti and the Zilla Parishad became the three responsible functionaries in the decentralisation of administration. They are entrusted with the implementation of the developmental schemes.

Accordingly, the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, was passed in 1961 (No. V of 1962). The Act provides for the establishment of Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis in rural areas and assigns to them the functions of a local government. The Act also envisages to entrust the execution-of certain works and schemes in the State Five Year Plans to such- bodies. It also provides for the decentralisation of powers and functions with the definite object of promoting the development of democratic institutions.

Powers and Functions: In what follows are described in brief the powers and functions of the President, the Vice-President and other official and non-official authorities of the Zilla Parishad: —

President:— The President

(a) has to preside over the meetings of the Zilla Parishad:

(b) has access to the Zilla Parishad records;

(d) has to supervise the financial and executive administration and submit to the Parishad all problems connected therewith which require its orders; and

(e) has to exercise administrative supervision and control over the Chief Executive Officer for securing implementation of resolutions or decisions of the Zilla Parishad or of the standing committee or of any subjects committee, or of any Panchayat Samiti.

The President in cases of emergency directs the execution or suspension or stoppage of any work or the doing of any act which requires the sanction of the Zilla Parishad or any authority thereof, and immediate execution or doing of which, in his opinion, is necessary for the service or safety of the public, and may direct that the expenses of executing such work or doing such act shall be paid from the District Fund. Provided that, he shall report forthwith the action taken under this section, and the full reasons thereof to the Zilla Parishad, the standing committee and the appropriate subjects committee at their next meeting and the Zilla Parishad or the committee may amend or annul the directive given by the President.

Vice-President.—The vice-president

(a) in the absence of the President, presides over the meetings of the Zilla Parishad;

(b) exercises such of the powers and performs such of the duties of the President as the President from time to time may, subject to the rules made by the State Government in this behalf, delegate to him by an order in writing; and

(c) pending the election of a President, or during the absence of the President, exercises the powers and performs the duties of the President.

Chairman of standing committee or subjects committee.— Subject to the provisions of the Act, and the rules made there-under by the State Government, the Chairman of the standing committee or a subjects committee—

(i) convenes, presides over and conducts the meetings of the committee; and

(ii) has access to the records of the committee.

The Chairman of any such committee, in relation to subjects allotted to the committee can:—

(i) call for any information, return, statement, accounts or report from any officer employed by or holding office under the Zilla Parishad or any servant thereof; and

(ii) enter on and inspect any immoveable property occupied by the Zilla Parishad or any institution under the control and management of the Zilla Parishad or any work or development scheme in progress undertaken by the Zilla Parishad or under its direction:

Provided that, the Chairman of the standing committee may in relation to any subject allotted to any subjects committee, also exercise the powers under this clause;

(iii) the Chairman of the standing committee can grant leave of absence for any period exceeding two months, but not exceeding four months, to any officer of class I service (other than the Chief Executive Officer) or class II service holding office under the Zilla Parishad.

Save as otherwise provided by or under this Act, the powers to be exercised and the duties to be discharged by the standing committee and each of the subjects committees, are such as may be prescribed by regulations; but all subjects in relation to social welfare enumerated in the District List are allotted to the standing committee.

Chief Executive Officer: A Chief Executive Officer, a Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Block Development Officers, and the heads of various departments of the Zilla Parishad are the executive officers of the Zilla Parishad. They are all gazetted officers and are transferable by the State Government to other districts. The Chief Executive Officer belongs to the cadre of Indian Administrative Service and his rank is equal to that of a Collector. The Deputy Chief Executive Officer is an officer of the rank of the Deputy Collector. The Block Development Officers are class II officers while the heads of the departments are either class I or class II officers. Ail the executive officers draw their pay and allowances from the consolidated fund of the State except travelling allowance (other than travelling allowance on transfer) which is drawn from the District Fund.

The Chief Executive Officer.—

(i) lays down the duties of all the officers and servants of or holding office under the Zilla Parishad in accordance with the rules made by the State Government;

(ii) is entitled to call for any information, return, statement, accounts or report from any officer or servant of, or holding office under the Zilla Parishad;

(iii) supervises and controls all the activities of the Zilla Parishad;

(iv) has power to possess papers and documents connected with the proceedings of meetings of the Zilla Parishad and of its committees (excluding Panchayat Samitis);

(v) draws and disburses money out of the District Fund;

(vi) exercises supervision and control over the officers and servants holding office under the Zilla Parishad in matters of executive administration and those relating to accounts and records of the Zilla Parishad;

(vii) is entitled to attend the meetings of the Zilla Parishad or any of its committees (including any Panchayat Samiti);

(viii) any of the powers conferred or duties or functions imposed upon or vested in the Chief Executive Officer by or under the Act, are also exercised, performed or discharged under the control of the Chief Executive Officer and subject to such conditions and limitations, if any, as he may think fit to lay down, by any officer or servant holding office under the Zilla Parishad to whom the Chief Executive Officer generally or specially empowers by order in writing; all such orders of the Chief Executive Officer are however, to be laid before the President, the standing committee and the relevant subjects committees for information;

(ix) assesses and gives his opinion confidentially every year on the work of the officers or class I service and class II service holding office under the Zilla Parishad, forwards them to such authorities as are prescribed by the State Government and lays down the procedure for writing such reports about the work of officers and servants of class III service and class IV service under the Zilla Parishad;

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer is the ex-officio secretary of the Zilla Parishad, as well as of the standing committee.

The Block Development Officer:—

(i) has the custody of all papers and documents connected with the proceedings of meetings of the Panchayat samiti;

(ii) is the secretary, ex-officio, of the Panchayat Simiti;

(iii) subject to the general orders of the Chief Executive Officer, grants leave of absence to officer or servant of class III service or of class IV service of the Zilla Parishad working under the Panchayat Samiti;

(iv) calls for any information, return, statement, accounts. report, or explanation from any of the officers or servants working under the Panchayat Samiti;

(v) drawn and disburses money out of the grants or rents payable to the Panchayat Samiti; and

(vi) in relation to the works and development schemes to be undertaken from the block grants, exercises such powers of sanctioning acquisition of property, sale or transfer thereof, as are specified by the State Government.

Head of the Department:—

(i) Every head of the department of the Zilla Parishad in respect of works and development schemes pertaining to his department, accords technical sanction thereto.

(ii) He assesses and gives his opinion confidentially every year on the work of officers of class II service working in his department and forwards them to the Chief Executive Officer.

(iii) The head of department, specified in this behalf, is the secretary, ex-officio, of such subjects committees as the Zilla Parishad may direct.

Organisation: The Akola Zilla Parishad was established on May 1, 1962. It is composed of 47 elected councillors, two co-opted women councillors, 5 associate councillors (chairmen of five federal co-operative societies) and 13 ex-officio councillors. The Chief Executive Officer is the administrative head of the Zilla Parishad.

As per the provisions contained in Section 78 of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act 1961, the Zilla Parishad has appointed the following committees, viz., standing committee, finance committee, works committee, agriculture committee, co-operation committee, education committee and health committee.

The General Administration department of the Zilla Parishad deals with non-technical matters such as establishment, parishad revenue, panchayats, social welfare and planning. The General Administration department is controlled and directed by the standing committee of the Zilla Parishad. The Deputy Chief Executive Officer is its secretary and he heads the General Administration department. He is assisted by an Administrative Officer, a Revenue Officer, a Social Welfare Officer, a Planning Officer and one Social Welfare Inspector. The Social Welfare Officer is entrusted with the work of implementation of various schemes for the uplift and welfare of the backward classes. The amelioration of the backward classes is sought by granting them various educational and financial concessions.

The Finance department of the Zilla Parishad is divided into four branches, viz., audit, 'budget, compilation and works. It is headed by the Chief Accounts and Finance Officer, who is assisted by the Accounts Officer. The Finance department is controlled by the finance committee of the Zilla Parishad with the Chief Accounts and Finance Officer as its secretary.

The Agriculture department of the Zilla Parishad is headed by the Agriculture Development Officer who has to exercise technical and administrative control and to execute and supervise the departmental activities in the district. The department is controlled by the agriculture committee of the Zilla Parishad. Since the formation of the Zilla Parishad, the Agriculture department has made considerable progress in the programme for intensive and extensive cultivation for kharif and rabi crops especially for jowar, groundnut and cotton. During the year 1968-69 the Zilla Parishad brought an area of 2,12,400 acres under Hybrid cultivation. An area 2,44,063 acres was covered under plant protection measures. Besides, 12 seed farms are functioning in this district. Till the end of March, 1968 the Zilla Parishad constructed 28 bandharas for irrigation purposes.

The animal husbandry section controlled by the District Animal Husbandry Officer deals with the treatment of sick animals and carries out vaccination against the various diseases of live-stock and breeding of animals.

The Industries and Co-operation department of the Zilla Parishad is in charge of the Co-operation and Industries Officer. The department is controlled and directed by the co-operation committee of the Zilla Parishad with the Co-operation and Industries Officer as its secretary. The department administers the extension and promotional activities of the co-operative societies as the regulatory functions have been retained by the Co-operative department in the State sector. The department also deals with the grant of loans to small-scale and cottage industries under Stale Aid to Industries Rules, 1961, grant of loans to educated unemployed, grant of financial assistance to bona-fide craftsmen and backward class artisans, grant of subsidies to industrial co-operatives and loans to industrial societies. In all 37 societies were registered during 1968-69.

The Parishad Education Officer heads the Education department of the Zilla Parishad. He also works as the secretary of the education committee. The education committee of the Zilla Parishad guides and directs the working of the Education department. Technical guidance and suggestions for improvement are made by the Director of Education, Maharashtra Stale. The Zilla Parishad has under its control 1,067 boy's and 79 girls' primary schools, 288 Indian-English middle schools, 117 high schools and 5 higher secondary schools. Since the inception of the Zilla Parishad 496 school rooms have been constructed and 124 schools have been provided with wire fencing. 13 schools have been granted a loan of Rs. 7,500 each for construction of building.

The Public Health Officer is the head of the Health department of the Zilla Parishad. He is also the secretary of the health committee of the Zilla Parishad which guides and directs the functioning of the Health department. He is responsible for effecting measures to control epidemics, for maintaining the sanitation of the district and for all the medical and public health activities in the district except the civil hospital and the State controlled schemes. There is one urban and 13 primary health centres, 37 ayurvedic dispensaries, 27 allopathic dispensaries along with two sub-centre dispensaries of the primary health centres, 90 family planning sub-centres and six leprosy survey, education and treatment units in the district.

The Works department of the Zilla Parishad is headed by the Parishad Executive Engineer who works as the secretary of the works committee of the Zilla Parishad. The works committee guides and controls the activities of the department. The department maintains roads transferred to it from the ex-Janapad Sabhas. Till 1968, roads of a length of 104 kilometres have been constructed by the Zilla Parishad at a cost of Rs. 67 lakhs. The work of 9 lift irrigation schemes is in progress. The department has completed 28 minor irrigation schemes and has also undertaken 17 more such schemes.

The total revenue receipts of the Akola Zilla Parishad for the year 1963-64 [During 1073-74 the income and expenditure was Rs. 47,483,000 and Rs. 46,951,000, respectively] were Rs. 158.01 lakhs. The Government grants, one of the main source of its income accounted for 88.6 per cent of the total revenue receipts. In the year 1964-65 the income in the self-raised resources was 8 per cent while 77 per cent of the total income was by way of Government grants. On the expenditure side the total expenditure stood at Rs. 157.66 lakhs in 1963-64. The highest percentage of expenditure, t. e, 50.6 was incurred by education department followed by buildings and communications and Community Development Programmes. The highest per capita expenditure of the Zilla Parishad was on education which amounted to Rs. 8.61.

TOP