GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

INTRODUCTION.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE STATE IN THE LAST CENTURY. consisted mostly in providing security to person and property and raising the revenue necessary for the purpose. In other words, Police. Jails and Judiciary representing security, and Land Revenue. Excise, Registration and Stamps representing revenue formed the most important departments of the State. The Public Works department was the only other branch of sufficient importance, but its activities of construction and maintenance were apart from roads and irrigation works, confined to buildings required for the. departments of Government. With the spread of Western education and the growth of political consciousness in the country, and as a result of the gradual association of a few Indians with some aspects of the work of Government, the demand arose for the expansion of governmental activities into what were called " nation-building " departments namely, Education. Health. Agriculture, Co-operation, etc. In the twenties and thirties of this century, after the introduction of the Montague Chelmsford Reforms, greater emphasis came to be laid on the development of these departments. When, as a result of the Government of India Act of 1935, complete popularisation of the Provincial Government took place in 1937, the new Government attempted not only to expand the "nation building" departments but also to take steps in the direction of creating what has now come to be generally described as a Welfare State. After the close of World War II and the attainment of independence by India in 1947, an all-out effort is being made to achieve a Welfare State as rapidly as possible and to build up a socially directed economy. The present activities of the State, therefore, require a much more elaborate system than what was felt to be necessary during the nineteenth century.

In the description that follows in this chapter and in chapters 11-17 the departments of the State operating in the Chandrapur district have been grouped as follows: -

Chapter 10 - General Administration.

Chapter 11 - Revenue Administration.

Chapter 12 - Law, Order and Justice.

Chapter 13 - Other Departments.

Chapter 14 - Local Self-Government.

Chapter 15-Education and Culture.

Chapter 16 - Medical and Public Health Services.

Chapter 17 -Other Social Services.

Up to 1874, the district had only three tahsils, viz., Mul, Warora and Brahmapuri. In 1874, Upper Godavari district of Madras was abolished and four tahsils were transferred to Chandrapur district and made into one tahsil with headquarters at Sironcha. In 1895, the headquarters of one of the tahsils was transferred from village Mul to Chandrapur. A new tahsil with headquarters at Gadhchiroli was formed in 1905 by transferring the zamindari estates from Brahmapuri and Chandrapur tahsils. A small zamindari tract from Chanda district was transferred to the newly formed Durg district in 1907. An area of about 600 square miles consisting of three tahsils, viz., Cherla, Alibaka and Nugur was transferred from Sironcha tahsil to Madras State in the same year.

There were no major changes in the boundaries of the district or its tahsils between 1911 and 1955. With the reorganisation of the States in 1956, the district along with other districts of Vidarbha region was transferred from Madhya Pradesh to Bombay State.

Rajura tahsil which was a part of Adilabad district of former Hyderabad State was transferred to Nanded district in 1956. It was transferred from Nanded district to Chandrapur district in March 1959. Because of the different sets of laws in force, Rajura is actually notified as an independent district and a division in itself and is placed under the Collector, Chanda district and the Commissioner, Nagpur Division for administrative purposes. However, with the implementation of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, the question of merging Rajura tahsil in Chanda district is under the consideration of the Government and necessary steps are being taken in that direction.

The Chandrapur district consists of six tahsils, viz., Chandrapur, Warora, Brahmapuri, Gadhchiroli, Sironcha and Rajura. There are six prants or sub-divisions, each comprising one tahsil.

The district now covers an area of 26,128.70 km² (10,088.3 square miles) and according to the Census of 1961 has a population of 1,238,070. The administrative divisions as they stand at present are shown below: -

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