The Gazetteers Department

With the passing of the Bombay Commissioners Act, 1957, Government have created with effect from March 3, 1958 the posts of Commissioners in place of Divisional Officers. The State of Maharashtra consists of four divisions. Dhulia district falls under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner, Bombay Division. The office of the Commissioner assumes a place of prime importance in the State administration and also in the administration of the division.

Subject to the general or special orders of the State Government, the Commissioner is the chief controlling authority in all matters connected with the land revenue. The District Collectors in exercise of the powers conferred upon them under the Land Revenue Code: or other Acts are subordinate to the Commissioner. Of the powers delegated to him and conferred upon him by law in land revenue matters, the following are important: -

(1) to revise the limits of the sub-divisions of the districts;

(2) to pass final orders regarding extinction of rights of public and individual in or over any public road, lane or path not required for use of the public;

(3) to sanction reduction of assessment consequent upon reclassification of agricultural lands up to Rs. 200 per annum when classification operation is confined to a single village and Rs. 400 per annum when it extends to more, than one village in a taluka;

(4) to decide disputes regarding rights to lands between municipalities and Government;

(5) to sanction remission in cases of total loss of crop due to local calamities up to Rs. 1,000; and

(6) to fix priority or scarcity relief works.

The Commissioner has to-

(a) supervise the working of revenue offices,

(b) exercise executive and administrative powers delegated by Government or conferred on him by law from time to time,

(d) inspect local bodies,

(e) co-ordinate and supervise the activities of all divisional heads of departments with particular reference to planning and development, and

(f) integrate the administrative set-up in the incoming areas.

In order to assist the Commissioner in matters relating to village panchayats there is an independent Assistant Commissioner appointed under him. There is also a Divisional Council constituted, of which the Commissioner is an ex-officio chairman. The chief functions of the Divisional Council in relation to panchayats are-

(a) to develop and foster the growth of village panchayats,

(b) to suggest ways and means to remove difficulties experienced by the village panchayats and to assist them in their proper administration,

(d) to supply information that may be required by the State Council and to give effect to the recommendations that may be sponsored by it.

There is also a Divisional Development Council consisting of officials and non-officials and the Commissioner is its ex-officio Chairman.

The chief functions of the council are: -

(1) to advise Government on policy in respect of all development matters;

(2) to co-ordinate development activities of various departments with a view to avoid overlapping and wasteful expenditure and to maintain liaison with the agency, functioning in the Division, for the Community Development Projects;

(3) to suggest ways and means to remove bottle-necks in work schemes and to effect speedy implementation of the Five-Year Plans; and

(4) to devise measures for eliciting maximum public participation in the departmental activity and for promotion of voluntary efforts through shramdan, bhoodan, sampathidan, small savings etc.

In respect of Community Development Blocks, the Commissioner is invested with the powers of the Head of the Department.

Of the powers delegated to the Commissioner in development matters, the following are important: -

(1) to accord administrative approval to programmes (financial estimates and working plans) for the project period and to make subsequent modifications and variations in respect of all the categories of development blocks within his division,

(2) to sanction individual schemes costing up to Rs. 50,000 (in certain cases up to rupees one lakh) subject to certain conditions,

(3) to accord administrative approval for all works costing up to Rs. 50,000 subject to certain conditions,

(4) to create and continue temporary non-gazetted technical and class IV posts according to actual requirements for the project period but subject to annual review. The Commissioner is to visit at least 12 blocks in a year and carry out one detailed inspection and the Assistant Commissioner (Development) has to visit at least 30 blocks and to conduct detailed inspection of 12 blocks in a year.

With a view to intensify the movement of small savings and to mobilise active support of public for it, there is an officer under the Commissioner who is designated as Assistant Director of Small Savings Organisation. There is also a Divisional Small Savings Advisory Committee consisting of officials and non-officials with the Commissioner as its ex-officio chairman. The chief functions of the committee are:-

(a) to watch the monthly progress of net collections as against the target,

(b) to organise and assist small savings publicity,

(d) to assist in recruitment of agents,

(e) to make suitable recommendations or suggestions to the State Advisory Council on the problems placed before it by the District Advisory Committees, and

(f) to implement the recommendations of the State Advisory Council.

TOP