LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

ZILLA PARISHAD.

In keeping with the recommendations of Balawantrai Mehta Committee, the Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat  Samitis Act was passed in 1961, with a view to assigning the Zilla Parishads, local government functions and entrusting them with the execution of certain works and developmental schemes of the State Five-Year Plans. It also aimed at the democratic decentralisation of Governmental machinery with a view to promoting the development of democratic institutions and securing a greater measure of participate on by the people in the plans and in the Local Government affairs.

Under the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, the following departments of the State operating in the district, have been transferred to the Zilla Parishad:-

(1) General Administration Department.

(2) Local Self-Government excluding Municipalities and municipal boroughs.

(3) Developmental Departments:-Agriculture, Veterinary, Forest, Co-operation (including Industrial Co-operatives and Village Industries), Industries, Public works and Road Trans-port.

(4) Welfare Departments:-Education (excluding training colleges and higher education), Technical and Industrial Training, Medical and Public Health, Labour, Prohibition and Excise, Backward Classes, Community Projects and National Extension Service, Social Welfare.

(5) Miscellaneous Departments.

Under the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis. Act, 1961 which came into force from 1st May 1962, all Janpad Sabhas, District Local Board, District Development Board and District Village Panchayat Mandal, were abolished and their work was vested in the Zilla Parishad.

The following offices of the Government have also been taken over by the Zilla Parishad:-

(1) District Village Panchayat Mandal.

(2) Agriculture Department.

(3) Education Department.

(4) Animal Husbandry Department.

(5) Co-operative Department (Partial).

(6) Social Welfare Department.

(7) Publicity Department, excluding Publicity Officer.

(8) Industries Department, excluding District Industries Officer.

(9) Health Department, excluding malaria eradication.

(10) Works, excluding national highway.

(11) Irrigation up to 101.171 hectares (250 acres).

(12) Dry farming.

The following is a brief description of the subjects of activities of the various departments.

Subjects of Activities.

Agriculture: -

(a) Establishment, management, maintenance and the giving of grants to Agricultural Schools, for matters other than the

(i) laying down of syllabus, (ii) prescription of text books, and

(iii) conducting annual examinations.

(b) Crop competitions.

(c) Crop protection.

(d) Crop campaign (including kharif and rabi crop campaigns and intensive paddy cultivation).

(e) Compost and green manures.

(f) Distribution of fertilisers, agricultural implements and agricultural quota of iron, steel and cement.

(g) Demonstration of improved agricultural practices.

(h) Model demonstration or subsidiary seed farms.

(i) Importation and distribution of improved seeds.

(j) Establishment and maintenance of godowns.

(k) Advancement and improvement of agriculture. (l) Eradication of noxious plants. (m) Acclimatisation of exotics.

Animal Husbandry :-

(a) Veterinary aid (excluding district veterinary hospitals but including veterinary dispensaries, veterinary aid centres and village veterinary chests).

(b) Improvement of breed of cattle, horses and other livestock (including artificial insemination sub-centres, key village centres, premium bull centres, fodder development plots, silo pits, formation of taluka and district live-stock improvement association and the like and distribution of improved breed of sheep).

(c) Distribution of improved poultry.

(d) Orgnisation of cattle shows and rallies.

Forest:-

Village forests and grazing lands (including measures for development of village woodland for purposes of pasture and fuel).

Social Welfare: -

(a) Educational development of backward classes, including, measures relating to grant of scholarships, freeships and examination fees to backward class students and establishment and maintenance of hostels and schools for them as also giving of grants to aided hostels for construction and maintenance of hostels and supply of other aids to such hostels and schools.

(b) Economic development of backward classes, including: -

(i) giving of financial assistance to individual cultivators in the form of loans and subsidies for the purpose of purchasing agricultural requisites;

(ii) giving financial assistance to individual artisans in the form of loans and subsidies for cottage industries and professions;

(iii) supply of spinning wheels to Vimukta jatis;

(iv) development of communications in backward areas;

(v) maintenance of co-operative stores and grant of subsidies to multipurpose co-operative societies for maintenance of staff (so far as co-operative societies having a working capital of not less than five lakhs of rupees each and having jurisdiction over less than a district are concerned);

(vi) establishment of handicraft centres;

(vii) development of cattle breeding and poultry farms.

(c) Removal of untouchability.

(d) Programmes for welfare of backward classes.

(e) Training of backward classes in improved methods of hereditary occupations including technical education.

Education :-

(a) Establishment, management, maintenance, inspection and visiting of primary and basic schools, including grants-in-aid to schools but excluding items relating to:-

(i) laying down of syllabus,

(ii) prescription of text books,

(iii) conducting scholarship examinations,

(iv) conducting primary school certificate examination and standard IV examination, and

(v) such other powers as are vested in the State Government, under the Bombay Primary Education Act, 1947.

(b) Establishment, management, maintenance and inspection of secondary schools, excluding items relating to: -

(i) prescription of curriculums, (ii) prescription of text books,

(iii) rates of and conditions for maintenance giants, (iv) permission for conversion of high schools into higher secondary schools,

(v) rates of fees,

(vi) laying down general conditions for recognition,

(vii) conducting of primary and high school scholarship; examinations, and

(viii) such other powers as may be specifically entrusted to the Director of Education or reserved for the State Government under the Grant-In-Aid Code.

In the case of private secondary schools only grants are  recommended and disbursed on the receipt of sanction from the  Director of Education.

(c) Grant of loans and scholarships to students in respect of  primary and secondary education.

(d) Construction and maintenance of primary and secondary school buildings of the Zilla Parishad.

(e) Other educational objects, and

(f) Provision of equipment and playgrounds for schools.

Medical : -

(a) Taluka dispensaries, including their upgrading,

(b) Hospitals, excluding civil and cottage as also big hospitals,

(c) Subsidised medical practitioners' centres,

(d) Rural medical relief centres and public medical relief,

(e) Grant of financial assistance to institutions giving antirabic treatment to indigent persons, and

(f) Grants-in-aid to private charitable hospitals, dispensaries, maternity homes and such other institutions.

Ayurvedic:-

(a) Ayurvedic and Unani dispensaries (including the giving of grants to such dispensaries), and

(b) Replenishing stock of Ayurvedic medicine chests in villages.

Public Health: -

(a) Primary Health Centres,

(b) Mobile hygiene units,

(c) Combined medical and public health units,

(d) Vaccination,

(e) School health service,

(f) Measures for treatment of anti-yaws,

(g) Maternity and child welfare centres,

(h) Maintenance of medicine boxes in villages,

(i) Facilities for health education,

(j) Rural sanitation,

(k) Taking of necessary measures in the interest of public health, and

(1) Reclamation of unhealthy localities (including grant of loans to private persons or associations for the purpose).

Buildings and Communications :- (a) Construction, maintenance and repairs of:-

(i) village roads,

(ii) other district roads,

(iii) major district roads.

(iv) bridges on abovementioned roads.

(b) Rural parks and gardens,

(C) Construction of administrative and other buildings in connection with Zilla Parishad's requirements

(d) Means of communication other than roads.

(e) Public ferries.

(f) Maintenance of trees in the vicinity of roads, and

(g) Telephone lines.

Public Health Engineering:-

(a) Rural water-supply.

(b) Protected water-supply for fairs in rural areas.

(c) Rural drainage, and

(d) Works for preservation of water for drinking, bathing and cooking, from pollution.

Irrigation:-

Minor irrigation works (only those works which irrigate 250 acres or less).

Industries :-

Only to the extent of grant of

(a) Local Industries loans up to rupees ten thousand in each case in respect of small

(b) Local Arts. Scale or cottage industries.

(c) Training Institutes and Schools excluding research institutes and institutes meant for an area larger than a district.

(d) Training-cum-Production Centres and Production Centres.

(e) Sales depots and emporia.

(f) Giving of grant-in-aid and loans to individual craftsmen.

(g) Giving of stipends to trainees.

(h) Promotion and development of cottage and village industries.

(i) Organising marketing facilities for cottage and village industries' products.

(j) Giving of grants-in-aid and loans to industrial Co-operatives.

(k) Handlooms, and

(1) Executive work relating to enforcement of Weights and Measures Act.

Co-operation:-

(a) Registration of co-operative societies (only in respect of those societies whose working capital does not exceed rupees five lakhs each and whose jurisdiction is less than a district).

(b) Approval to bye-laws of the types of societies mentioned above.

(c) Appeals arising out of non-admission of members to the types of societies mentioned above.

(d) Administrative supervision over co-operative societies (only to the extent of examination of the general working of societies, their management and financial position, with a view to improving the business standards adopted by the societies and their office-bearers and also extending their activities).

(e) Promotion and extension in respect of all types of co-operative societies.

(f) Sponsoring of applications of co-operative societies for financial assistance from the State Government.

(g) Sponsoring of applications of co-operative societies (such as may be specified by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies) to concerned federal societies in respect of participation in share capital.

(h) Taking shares in co-operatives in those cases in which State Government can take shares subject to conditions laid down by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies and

(i) Supervision and control over agricultural produce markets.

Publicity:-

(a) Mobile publicity vans,

(b) Organising district exhibitions,

(c) Publicity through recreational activities, and

(d) Rural broadcasting.

Community Development:-

(a) Community Development Programme, and

(b) Local Development Works Programme.

Social Education: -

(a) Community recreation centres.

(b) Adult literacy centres,

(c) Sports, games, playgrounds, equipment and welfare organisations,

(d) Kisan Melas,

(e) Conducting visits,

(f) Dissemination of information.

(g) Short camps,

(h) Women's organisations,

(i) Children's organisations,

(j) Mobile cinema vans.

(k) Libraries and reading-rooms and

(1) Fairs, shows and exhibitions.

Miscellaneous: -

(a) Village uplift,

(b) Building model villages (including grants and loans for the purpose),

(c) Economic welfare of villages,

(d) Local works or measures likely to promote health, safety, comfort or convenience of the public,

(e) Markets,

(f) Dharmashalas, rest-houses, travellers' bungalows sarais and the like,

(g) Chawadis,

(h) Other public institutions,

(i) Local unemployment other than industrial unemployment,

(j) Improvement, extension and laying of new village sites (including grants and loans for the purpose),

(k) Well-being of employees of the Zilla Parishad including provision of houses,

(1) Planting and preservation of trees on public ground and gardens,

(m) Rewards for destruction of wild animals, (n) Public receptions, ceremonies and entertainments, (o) Arrangement for local pilgrimages, (p) Burial and cremation grounds,

(q) Sammelans of Panchas, Sarpanchas of Village Panchayats and other non-officials and

(r) Local vagrancy relief for the poor and maintenance of poor houses. President.

The powers and functions of the non-official office-bearers of the Zilla Parishad are detailed below: -

The President shall-

(a) convene, preside at and conduct meetings of the Zilla Parishad;

(b) have access to the records of the Zilla Parishad;

(c) discharge all duties imposed, and exercise all the powers conferred on him by or under the Act;

(d) watch over the financial and executive administration and submit to the Parishad all questions connected there with which shall require its orders; and

(e) 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 Saraiti.

 The President may in cases of emergency direct 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 expense of executing such work or doing such act shall he paid from the district fund: provided that, he shall report forthwith the action taken under this section, and 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 direction made by the president. The President of the Zilla Parishad receives an honorarium of Rs. 500 per month with rent-free residential accommodation.

Vice-President.

The Vice-President shall-

(a) in the absence of the President, preside at the meetings of the Zilla Parishad;

(b) exercise such of the powers and perform 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, exercise the powers and perform the duties of the President.

The Vice-President who is the chairman of two subjects committees gets consolidated honorarium of Rs. 300 per month along with rent-free residential accommodation. He has the following powers; -

(i) convene, preside at and conduct meetings of the committee and

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

The chairman of any such committee may, in relation to subjects allotted to the committee-

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

(ii) enter and inspect any immovable 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.

The chairman of the standing committee may 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, and which subjects enumerated in the district list are to be allotted to the standing committee and each of the subjects committees, shall be 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.

The Vice-President is the chairman of two subjects committees. The councillors have to elect from amongst elected councillors two persons to be chairmen of the remaining subjects committees. They also get an honorarium of Rs. 300 each per month along with rent-free residential accommodation.

Officials.

A Chief Executive Officer, a Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Block Development Officers and 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 Collec-tor. The Block Development Officers are class II officers while the heads of the departments are either class I or class II officers.

Chief Executive Officer.

The chief Executive Officer-

(i) shall lay 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) shall be entitled to call for any information, return, statement, account or report from any officer or servant of, or holding office under the Zilla Parishad;

(iii) shall supervise and control the execution of all the activities of the Zilla Parishad;

(iv) shall have papers and documents connected with the proceedings of meetings of the Zilla Parishad and of its committees [Sections 95 to 99 of the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961.] (including Panchayat Samitis);

(v) shall draw and disburse money out of the District Fund;

(vi) shall exercise supervision and control over the acts of 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) shall be entitled to attend the meetings of the Zilla Parishad or any of its committees (including any Panchayat Samiti);

(viii) Any of the powers conferred on or duties or functions imposed upon or vested in the Chief Executive Officer by or under the Act, may also be 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 an 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 shall, however, be laid before the President, the Standing Committee and the relevant Subjects Committees for information.

(ix) He shall assess, and give his opinion confidentially every year on the work of the officers of class I service and class II service holding office under the Zilla Parishad; forward them to such authorities as may be prescribed by the State Government and lay 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.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer shall be the secretary, ex-officio, of the Zilla Parishad. as well as the Standing Committee [Sections 9 and 79 of the Act.].

Block Development Officer.

The Block Development Officer-

(i) shall have the custody of all papers and documents connected with the proceedings of meetings of the Panchayat Samitis;

(ii) shall he the secretary, ex-officio of the Panchayat Samitis [Section 57 of the Act.];

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

(iv) shall call for any information, return, statement, account, report, or explanation from any of the officers or servants working under the Panchayat Samiti:

(v) shall draw and disburse money out of the grant or rents payable to the Panchayat Samiti under sections 185 and 188;

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

Heads of the Departments.

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

(ii) He shall assess and give his opinion confidentially every year on the work of officers of class II service working in his department and shall forward them to the Chief Executive Officer.

(iii) The head of department, specified in this behalf shall be the secretary, ex-officio, of such Subjects Committees as the ZILLA Parishad may direct [Section 80 of the Act.].

Administrative Organisation.

The Chandrapur Zilla Parishad started functioning from May 1, 1962 with the enforcement of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961. The Parishad has 74 members. The classification of the members is as follows: -

51 elected councillors.

16 ex-officio councillors (Chairmen of the Panchayat Samitis).

5 Associate Councillors (Chairmen of Federal Societies).

2 Co-opted lady councillors.

The Zilla Parishad is presided over by the President who is elected by the Parishad from amongst, the elected Councillors. The Vice-President and two Chairmen of the Subjects Committees are elected by the Zilla Parishad. The Chief Executive Officer is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Zilla Parishad.

The Zilla Parishad has appointed Seven Committees including the Standing Committee and six Subjects Committees, one each for finance, education, co-operation, health, agriculture and works. The Standing Committee with the President of the Zilla Parishad as Chairman is composed of Chairmen of three Subjects Committees, seven elected councillors and two co-opted members who are experts in the field. All other committees except Co-operation Committee consist of seven elected councillors and two co-opted members. The Co-operation Committee consists of five elected councillors and 5 associate councillors. These Subjects Committees and Standing Committee supervise, direct and guide the working of all the departments of the Zilla Parishad.

General Administration Department.

The most important aspect of the general administration department of the Zilla Parishad is to control the whole non-gazetted staff of the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis and to arrange for the meetings of the Zilla Parishad and Subjects Committees, to plan for the development works to be undertaken by the Zilla Parishad and keep administrative control on all the departments and the Panchayat Samitis.

In short it deals with non-technical matters such as establishment, parishad matters, revenue, panchayats, social welfare and planning. The establishment and parishad branches are headed by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer. The planning branch is controlled by the Planning Officer and the Panchayat branch by the Administrative Officer, both Gazetted Officers of class 1 rank. The Revenue Officer is deputed for the revenue matters.

Social Welfare Department.

The Social Welfare Department forms a section of the General Administration Department and is controlled by the Social Welfare Officer, a Class II Gazetted Officer. The Social Welfare Officer has been entrusted with the work of implementation of various schemes for the uplift and welfare of the backward classes, such as scheduled castes and tribes, vimukta jatis and nomadic tribes. The amelioration of the backward classes is sought through cultural activities by giving them various educational and financial concessions.

Backward Class Welfare Programmes

Backward Class Welfare Programmes aim at the amelioration of the conditions of the backward classes so that they reach the standards of other sections of the society as quickly as possible. Several schemes of educational, financial, social and miscellaneous nature have been sanctioned for their welfare. Under educational schemes, various concessions towards payment of scholarships, tuition fees and examination fees are granted to all categories of backward classes by giving substantial grants-in-aid, the advantage of which is taken by all categories of students belonging to backward classes.

Under the housing programme, subsidy is given to the backward class families towards construction of houses.

Social Welfare :

Though the activities under Social Welfare do not come under Zilla Parishad, still the social welfare officer of the Zilla Parishad has to do the work concerning the social welfare activities in the district.

They include -

(1) State Home for Rescued Women, (2) Certified School, (3) Remand Homes, (4) Home for crippled children, (5) Government Shelter Workshop for deaf, mute etc., (6) Social and Physical Welfare Institutions, (7) Dance, Drama and Music Schools, (8) Grants to orphanages and (9) Grants to institutions for physically handicapped.

Special attention is paid to the tribal areas and necessary efforts are being made for their development.

Under audio-visual scheme, films and documentaries are exhibited in the villages.

Finance Department.

The duties of the Finance Department of the Zilla Parishad can be classified into four branches, viz., accounts, audit, custody of cash and custody and verification of stores. It also acts as the financial advisor to many of the departments of the Zilla Parishad. It is headed by the Chief Accounts and Finance Officer, a Class I Gazetted Officer, assisted by the Accounts Officer who is a Class II Gazetted Officer. It is under the overall control of the Finance Committee of the Zilla Parishad, with the Chief Accounts and Finance Officer as its Secretary.

Preparation of budget is also an important function of the department which is dealt with by an independent branch The department co-ordinates the budgets of the several departments before they are placed for approval. The Subjects Committees scrutinise the budget proposals and make recommendations. The Chairman of the Finance Committee is ex-officio president of the Standing Committee for finance and guides the deliberations of the committee.

The Accounts and Audit branches are under the initial supervision of two experienced Head Assistants, one drawn from the Treasury and other from the ex-Janapada Sabha.

The department has also a stores branch which is controlled by a superintendent. This is in addition to another stores branch functioning in the works department under the super-vision of a store-keeper.

As mentioned earlier, finance department is in custody of cash. Pursuant to this, funds required for the activities of the Panchayat Samitis are allotted by the department through the Central Co-operative Bank, Nagpur, which has nine branches in the district. The budgets of the Panchayat Samitis are included in the budget of the Zilla Parishad; otherwise, the Panchayat Samitis work as independent units in respect of works executed in their respective jurisdictions.

As per the budget provisions for 1967-68, the income of the Zilla Parishad was Rs. 21,99,110 whereas its expenditure amounted to Rs. 2,25,20,257.00.

Agriculture Department.

The Agriculture Department of the Zilla Parishad is headed by Agricultural Development Officer who is directly responsible to the Chief Executive Officer. He is assisted by Campaign Officer and District Agricultural Officer. It is placed under the overall control of the Agricultural Subject Committee. The, Agricultural Development Officer has not only to exercise technical and administrative control but also to execute and supervise the departmental activities in the district. He is responsible for the development of agricultural activities and has to work for the increase in agricultural production. It is the function of this department to bring maximum area under improved seeds and to undertake programmes of intensive cultivation, horticulture, vegetable development, and pests and disease control.

Before the formation of the Zilla Parishad, Animal Husbandry department was an independent department, but now it has been merged in the Agriculture Department and forms one of its sections. All the veterinary activities in the district are corn-trolled by the Animal Husbandry Officer who heads this section. He is responsible for technical guidance in all animal husbandry matters and has to arrange for the immunisation of animals against various kinds of live-stock diseases and work for the improvement of animal breed.

Industries and Co-operation Department.

The Co-operative Department of the State Government under  revised set up came into being on March 1, 1961, according to  which the District Deputy Registrar, Co-operative Societies, was  made the district head. It was executing two types of functions  viz., (1) regulatory and (2) promotion and extension activities.  The Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act,  1961 entrusted the Zilla Parishad with the promotional and  extension activities with certain reservations for municipal areas. The regulatory functions were however retained with the department in the State Sector.

The Industries and Co-operation department of the Zilla Parishad is in charge of the Co-operation and Industries Officer, who is a Class II Gazetted Officer. He is assisted by a Co-operative Officer and one Assistant Co-operative Officer along with two Extension Officers, one for co-operation and one for indus-tries attached to each Panchayat Samiti. 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 statutory powers under the Co-operative Societies Act, 1960, regarding registration of co-operative societies and amendment of bye-laws and hearing appeals for non-admission of membership by co-operative societies are delegated to this officer under the Zilla Parishad.

The department also deals with grant of loans to small scale and cottage industries under State aid to Industries Rules, 1961, grant of loans to educated unemployed, grant of financial assistance to bona fide craftsmen and backward class artisans, giving subsidies to industrial co-operative and loans to industrial societies. The department also helps in the campaign of collection of rural debentures.

Education Department.

Before the inception of the Zilla Parishad, education was under the jurisdiction of the State Government and the Director of Education was the head of the department at the State level.

Central Government schemes and the State Government policies regarding education were executed at the district level by the Government Inspectorate in the district. The District Inspectorate consisted of one Educational Inspector, one Deputy Educational Inspector and 34 Assistant Deputy Educational Inspectors. All educational institutions in the district were under the control of the Educational Inspector. To facilitate the administration of primary education, District School Boards were entrusted with the work of primary education. Secondary schools, primary training colleges and other technical and professional institutions were directly under the control of the Educational Inspector. The Inspector and his deputies visited and inspected these institutions and recommended grants-in-aid. Besides this, the responsibility of the control of the primary education also partly vested with the Educational Inspector as he was empowered to have general supervision over the administration of the schools.

The District School Board which is now a defunct body was composed of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, and 14 other elected and nominated members. The Administrative Officer, who worked as the ex-officio Secretary of the body, was the representative of the State Government to guide the Board on Government policies in respect of educational matters. He executed the programmes chalked out by the Board for primary education in consultation with the Staff Selection Committee, a statutory body under the Primary Education Act, 1947. Teachers were interviewed, selected and appointed by him in accordance with the rules prescribed by the State Government. The academic side of primary schools was supervised and con-trolled by the Assistant Deputy Educational Inspectors working under the control of the Educational Inspector who visited and inspected the primary schools.

They recommended cases for opening of primary schools, grants to primary schools, etc., through the Deputy Educational Inspector who was their immediate superior.

This was in brief the picture of the administrative set-up with the powers and duties of the functionaries of the Education department prior to the advent of the Zilla Parishad.

The Parishad Education Officer is the head of the Education department in the district. He has to work under the direct control of the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad. He is assisted by Deputy Education Officer along with Assistant Deputy Education Inspectors.

The Education Officer of Zilla Parishad is the head of Education department who is a Class I Gazetted Officer and is assisted by two Deputy Education Officers who are Class II Gazetted Officers and other subordinate staff. The Education Committee of the Zilla Parishad of which the Education Officer is the Secretary, guides and directs the working of this department. Technical guidance and suggestions for improvement are made by the Director of Education, Maharashtra State.

Public Health Department.

The Public Health Officer who works as Secretary to the Health Committee of the Zilla Parishad that guides the functioning of the Public Health department is the head of the Public Health department of the Zilla Parishad. He is responsible for all the Medical and Public Health activities in the district excepting the Civil Hospital at Chandrapur. It is his responsibility to see that the sanitation of the district is properly maintained. The Public Health Officer takes measures to improve rural sanitation, investigates into the causes of the spread of diseases and epidemics and adopts preventive and curative measures to control them. He is assisted by the Epidemic Medical Officer in taking preventive and curative measures against outbreak of epidemics and spread of diseases. He has also to supervise the activities of the Primary Health Centres, S. E. T. Units, Family Planning Centres, for administrative and technical purposes.

The health matters in the district are under dual control in that while primary health centres, maternity and child health centres along with other institutions in the district health organisation are looked after entirely by the Zilla Parishad, the leprosy survey, education and treatment units and family  planning centres are looked after by the Zilla Parishad on  agency basis.

In 1967 there were 18 Primary Health Centres, 18 Family Planning Units, 36 Ayurvedic dispensaries, 24 Allopathic dispensaries, 17 S. E. T. Units and two Leprosy Units in the district.

Works Department.

The Works department of the Zilla Parishad is headed by the Parishad Executive Engineer who is also the Secretary of the Works Committee. Twelve Deputy Engineers assist him in his work. This department is concerned with the construction of buildings required by the Zilla Parishad, construction and maintenance of roads below the cadre of major district roads, construction and maintenance of minor irrigation works and rural water-supply. The execution of these works is vested in the Deputy Engineers in charge of sub-divisions and carried out by them under the overall supervision of the Executive Engineer. The Zilla Parishad gets an income from the auction of the ferries.

Panchayat Samitis.

The Panchayat Samitis mark the second stage in the administration of the democratic decentralisation of powers. 

18 Panchayat Samitis with 20 Blocks, including 6 Tribal Blocks, have been established in this district with headquarters at Chandrapur, Mul, Gondpipri, Warora, Bhadrawati, Chimur, Brahmapuri, Nagbhid, Sindewahi, Gadhchiroli, Armori, Kurkheda, Dhanora, Chamorshi, Sironcha, Aheri, Etapalli and Rajura. The following table shows the composition of different Panchayat Samitis in the district.

COMPOSITION OF PANCHAYAT SAMITIS IN THE DISTRICT

Under section 57 of the Act, a Panchayat Samiti has been provided for every block. Every Panchayat Samiti will consist of the following members: -

(a) All councillors who are elected on the Zilla Parishad from the electoral divisions in the block.

(b) The co-opted councillor of the Zilla Parishad residing in the block.

(c) The Chairmen of such co-operative societies conducting the business of purchase and sale of agricultural products in the block as nominated by Government (to be associate members).

(d) The Chairman of a co-operative society conducting business relating to agriculture (not being a society falling under 'C' above) in the Block, co-opted by the Panchayat Samiti (to be an associate member).

(e) In case of non-availability of a woman member or a member belonging to the scheduled castes or the scheduled tribes, one member who is a regular resident in the Block, to be co-opted by the Panchayat Samiti.

(f) Sarpanchas elected by members of the Village Panchayats.

Chairman.

The term of office of the Chairmen and members of the Panchayat Samitis is coterminous. [Section 59 of the Zilla Parishad Act.]

The Chairman of the Panchayat Samiti is paid an honorarium of Rs. 300 per month with the facilities of free residential accommodation. [Vide Section 69 of the Act.] The Deputy Chairman of Panchayat Samiti is paid an honorarium of Rs. 150 per month.

Powers and functions of Chairman:

Subject to the provisions of the Act and the rules or regulations made thereunder,-

(1) the Chairman of a Panchayat Samiti shall-

(a) convene, preside at and conduct meetings of the Panchayat Samiti;

(b) have access to the records of the Panchayat Samiti;

(c) exercise supervision and control over the acts of officers and servants of or under the Zilla Parishad and working in the Block in matters of execution or administration and the accounts and records of the Panchayat Samiti;

(d) in relation to works and development schemes to be undertaken from block grants, exercise such powers of sanctioning acquisition of property or sale or transfer there of as may be specified by the State Government.

(2) The Chairman of a Panchayat Samiti may -

(a) call for any information, return, statement, account or report from any officer or servant working under the Panchayat Samiti;

(b) enter on and inspect any immovable property in the  block occupied by the Zilla Parishad or any institution in the  block under the control and management of the Zilla Parishad, or the Panchayat Samiti or any work or development  scheme in progress in the block undertaken by the Zilla  Parishad or the Panchayat Samiti or under its direction.

Deputy Chairman.

Powers and functions of Deputy Chairman :

(1) The Deputy Chairman of a panchayat samiti shall-

(a) in the absence of the Chairman preside at the meeting of  the Panchayat Samiti;

(b) exercise such of the powers and perform such of the duties of the Chairman of the Panchayat Samiti as the Chairman from time to time may, subject to the rules made by the State Government in that behalf delegate to him by an order in writing; and

(c) pending the election of the Chairman or during the absence of the Chairman exercise the powers and perform the duties of the chairman.

(2) The Deputy Chairman of a Panchayat Samiti may enter on and inspect any immovable property in the block occupied by the Zilla Parishad or any institution in the block under the control: and management of the Zilla Parishad or the Panchayat Samiti or any work or development scheme in progress in the block undertaken by the Zilla Parishad or the Panchayat Samiti or its direction and shall send a report of such inspection to the Chairman of the Panchayat Samiti.

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