GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

COLLECTOR

Collector.- The Collector as the head of the district administra-tion is the pivot round which the district administration turns. In so far as the needs and exigencies of the district administration are concerned, he is expected to supervise the working of other departments also.

Revenue.--The Collector is the custodian of Government pro-perty in land (including trees and water wherever situated) and at the same time the guardian of the interests of members of the public in land in so far as the interest of the Government in land have been conceded to them. All land, wherever situated whe-ther applied to agricultural or other purposes, is liable to payment of land revenue except in so far as it may be expressly exempted by a special contract. Such land revenue is of three kinds, viz., agricultural assessment, non-agricultural assessment and miscella-neous. The Collector's duties are in respect of (1) fixation, (2) col-lection, and (3) accounting of all such land revenue. The assess-ment is fixed on each piece of land roughly in proportion to its productivity. The assessment is revised every 30 years tahsil by tahsil. A revision survey and settlement is carried out by the Land Records department. Before a revision is made, the Collec-tor is expected to review the settlement report with great care and caution. The assessment is usually guaranteed against increase for a period of 30 years. Government, however, grant suspen-sions and remissions in bad seasons and the determination of the amount of these suspensions and remissions is the duty of the Collector. As regards non-agricultural assessment, it has to be levied when agriculturally assessed lands arc converted to non-agricultural uses. All this has to be done by Collector, according to the provisions of the rules framed by the Government. Mis-cellaneous land revenue also has to be fixed by the Collector, according to the circumstances of each case, when Government land is temporarily leased. It is also realised by sale of earth, stones, usufruct of trees, revenue fines, etc.

The collection of land revenue rests with the Collector who has to see that the revenue dues are recovered punctually every year and with the minimum of coercion and that the collections are properly credited and accounted for in the Jamabandi branch, both at the tahsil-level and the district-level.

The following are the statistics relating to land revenue collections in Buldhana district for the year 1967-68:-

The Collector is also responsible for the collection of fees and taxes under various other acts such as the Bombay Irrigation Act (VII of 1879), the Indian Stamps Act (II of 1899), the Indian Court-Fees Act (VII of 1870), the Bombay Entertainment Duty Act (I of 1923), and the Bombay Prohibition Act (XXV of 1949). There are also other revenue Acts which contain a provi-sion that dues under them are recoverable as arrears of land revenue. The Collector and his office have to undertake recovery of such dues whenever necessary.

In regard to the administration of the Forests Act, the ultimate responsibility for the administration of the Forest department, so far as his district is concerned, lies with the Collector and the Divisional Forest Officer is his assistant for the administration except in matters relating to the technique of forestry.

As regards the Prohibition Act, the Collector has to issue personal permits to liquor addicts. In fact, he is the agency through which the Director of Prohibition and Excise executes the policy of the department. The administration of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act in its proper spirit rests with the Collector. He is also an appellate authority to hear appeals under various sections of these two Acts.

Inams.-All inams have been abolished under the Land Reve-nue Exemption Act, 1948, and donations or cash grants for chari-table purposes, grants to religious, charitable and public institu-tions and to the descendants of the Ruling Chiefs under the Cen-tral Provinces and Berar Revocation of Land Revenue Exemption Act, 1948, have been sanctioned. With the introduction of the Abolition of the Proprietary Rights Act, the ex-Madhya Pradesh Government inaugurated a policy of abolishing alienation and all lands in the district have now been assessed to full land revenue.

Public Utility.-The Agriculturist's Loans Act (XII of 1884) and the Land Improvement Loans Act (XIX of 1883) regulate the grant of loans to agriculturists at cheap rates for financing their agricultural operations. The Collector has to esti-mate the needs of his district in accordance with the policy of the Government for the time being and in the event of a bad season, to make further demands for as much money as could be use-fully loaned for the purpose of tiding over the need. He has to take necessary steps for the most advantageous distribution of the amount placed at his disposal and to see that the advances so made are recovered at the proper time. After the loans are advanced to the borrowers it is the duty of the Prant Officers and the Tahsildars to see that the loans are not utilised for purposes other than those for which the same were advanced.

Accounts.-The separation of the treasury and revenue cadres at the district level has come into force with effect from April 1, 1968. Before the separation of the treasury from the Revenue Department, the Treasury Officer was from Revenue department and he had to perform various important executive functions in that connection. After the separation, the Treasury Officer be-came a member of the cadre of Maharashtra State Accounts Ser-vice and functions independently. The treasuries are under the administrative control of the Finance department. At the district and tahsil headquarters, the cash business has been taken over by the State Bank of India. The accounts are submitted to the Accountant General and the instructions laid down in the Accounts Code and Compilation of Treasury Rules are followed by the District Treasury. Before the separation of treasuries from Revenue department, the Collector and Accountant General carried out periodical inspections of treasuries. As a measure of administrative control, the Collector inspects the district treasury once in a year before the close of the financial year and similarly, the Deputy Collectors inspect the sub-treasuries. The Collector does not, however, participate in the daily routine of treasury business. For that work, the Treasury Officer is his delegate and representative.

Quasi-Judicial functions in revenue matters.-Besides the quasi-judicial functions of the Collector on the revenue side, apart from hearing appeal from the decisions of the Sub-Divisional Officers under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code and various other Acts, the following may be mentioned:-

(i) the revisional powers exercised under section 23 of the Bombay Mamlatdars Courts Act (II of 1906) in respect of Tahsildars ' orders under the Act, (this power is delegated to an Assistant or Deputy Collector);

(ii) appellate powers under sections 53 and 67 of the Bombay Irrigation Act (VII of 1879);

(iii) the work which the Collector does in connection with the execution of Civil Court decrees; and

(iv) proceedings and awards under section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act (I of 1894).

Local Self-Government.-With the passing of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, the village panchayat administration is looked after by the village panchayats constituted for the villages. However, the actual control of the village panchayats has been transferred to the Panchayat Samitis with the passing of the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act. The Collector is, however, empowered to hold elections and bye-elections to the municipali-ties and the village panchayats. The various Acts governing local bodies have conferred upon the Collector, as the chief repre-sentative of Government, authority to supervise the actions of the local bodies and to give them advice.

Officers of other departments.-The officers of other depart-ments stationed at the district headquarters are: (1) the District and Sessions Judge, (2) the Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, (3) the Superintendent of Police, (4) the Executive Engineer (B. & C.), (5) the Civil Surgeon. (6) the District Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies, (7) the Divisional Forest Officer, (8) the District Inspector of Prohibition and Excise, and (9) the Divisional Soil Conservation Officer.

The District Judge has a separate and independent sphere of work, and as Sessions Judge, he exercises appellate powers over the decisions of all Judicial Magistrates in the district. The Bombay Separation of Judicial and Executive Functions Act (XXIII of 1951) has separated the magistracy into judicial magistrates who are subordinate to the Sessions Judge and Executive Magistrates who are subordinate to the District Magistrates. It has practi-cally withdrawn all the powers of the Executive Magistrates of trial of criminal cases under the Indian Penal Code.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad works in the capacity of an adviser to the District Selection Committee of which the Collector is the Chairman.

The District Superintendent of Police and Police force in the district are under the control of the Collector in his capacity as the District Magistrate in so far as the maintenance of law and order is concerned.

The work of the Executive Engineer (Buildings and Commu-nications) being of a technical nature, he is not directly subordi-nate to the Collector. However, he is expected to assist the Col-lector whenever required to do so. The programme of relief works is to be chalked out by him in consultation with the Collector.

The Civil Surgeon has also a separate and independent sphere of his own, but is expected to place his professional and technical advice and assistance at the disposal of the general district administration whenever required.

The District Agricultural Officer, the Social Welfare Officer, the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies, the Educational Inspector, the Public Health Officer and the District Animal Hus-bandry Officer have been allotted to the Zilla Parishad since May 1, 1962, and are under the control of the Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad.

The District Industries Officer, the Treasury Officer, the District Inspector of Land Records, the Employment Exchange Officer, the Publicity Officer and the Inspector of Shops and Establish-ments have intimate contact with the Collector in matters relating to their deparments and have to carry out his general instructions. The Collector is invested with the power of requisitioning the services of any officer at the district-level either directly or through his superiors.

District Magistrate.-The Collector's duties as District Magis-trate are mostly executive. He is at the head of all executive Magistrates in the district. He exercises the powers under the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Penal Code.

When authorised by the State Government, the District Magis-trate may invest any Magistrate subordinate to him with neces-sary powers. Besides being in control of the Police in the dis-trict, the District Magistrate has extensive powers under the Criminal Procedure Code and the Bombay Police Act (XXII of 1951) and other Acts for the maintenance of law and order. It is his duty to examine the records of Police stations in order to gain insight into the state of crime in the limits of the Police stations and satisfy himself that the cases are being promptly disposed of.

In his executive capacity, the District Magistrate is concerned with the issue of licences and permits under the Arms Act (II of 1878) the Petroleum Act (VIII of 1899), the Explosives Act (IV of 1884) and the Poisons Act (I of 1904). He has also to supervise the general administration of these Acts and functions laid down thereunder.

District Registrar.-As the District Registrar, the Collector con-trols the administration of the Registration Department within his district.

Sanitation and Public Health.-The duties of the Collector as regards sanitation are-(a) to see that sanitary measures are initia-ted in case of outbreak of epidemic diseases; (b) to watch and stimulate the efficiency of the sanitary administration of muni-cipal councils and other sanitary authorities, and (c) to advise and encourage local bodies to improve the permanent sanitary condi-tions of the areas under them in so far as the funds at their dis-posal will allow. He can freely requisition the advice and the technical assistance of the District Health Officer.

District Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Board [Now known as the Zilla Sainik Board.].-The Collector acts as the president of the District Soldiers, Sailors', and Air-men's Board and exercises overall control over the Board with the assistance of a paid secretary appointed from retired military officers' cadre. He maintains liaison between ex-servicemen and their dependants, with the help of the staff sanctioned for the Board by Government.

The District Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmens' Board is composed of 12 members, a vice-President and a President. The Board meets periodically and tackles problems faced by ex-servicemen and their dependants.

Control of essential articles.-This function could be grouped under three important activities, viz., procurement, distribution and price control. Under the scheme for monopoly purchase of jowar, every cultivator is required to sell a fixed proportion of his jowar produce to the Government. If after com-plying with this requirement, some surplus is still left with him, he has to sell to the Government additional fixed quantity of jowar after retaining some stock for his domestic consumption and other purposes.

The distribution of food-grains in the district is limited and is by way of supplementing normal supplies in open market. At present, one or more kinds of food-grains, subject to availability, are supplied at the rate of eight kilograms per adult per month and 4 kg per child per month. In addition to food-grains, levy sugar is also distributed by Government at the rate of 400 grams per adult per month and 200 grams per child per month in urban areas and 250 grams per adult per month and 125 grams per child per month in rural areas. Wheat products like atta, rawa and maida are supplied to bulk consumers like bakers, hotel-keepers and also to general public.

Kerosene is supplied through the retailers who draw their stocks from wholesalers, who in their turn receive their stocks from the oil companies. The quantities are prescribed by Government and there is no restriction on quantity of retail sale of kerosene.

The food-grains, sugar and wheat products are sold through fair price shops in the district, which number 750.

Prices of food-grains are fixed by Government while the prices of sugar, kerosene and wheat products are fixed by the Collector from time to time taking into consideration the basic price, transport and incidental expenses, octroi tax and margin of profit allowed to wholesalers and retailers. The administration of supply and distribution of essential commodities is governed under general orders issued by the State Government under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

The food and civil supplies administration of the district vests in the Collector and is operated upon by the District Supply Officer who is an officer belonging to the cadre of the Deputy Collector. He is assisted by the necessary staff at district and taluka levels. A team of Supply Inspectors and Inspecting Officers is provided for checking the fair price shops.

TOP