GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

DIVISIONAL COMMISSIONER

Divisional Commissioner.―With the passing of the Bombay Commissioners. Act, 1957, Government have created with effect March 3, 1958, the posts of Commissioners in place of the Divisional Officers. The State of Maharashtra consists of four Divisions with four Divisional Commissioners. The Commissioner is considered to be king-pin of the State administration and also the pivot on which the Divisional Administration hinges. Kolaba district falls under the jurisdiction of the Divisional Commissioner, Bombay 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 under 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,

(6) to fix priority for scarcity relief works and

(7) to sell lands for building sites without auction if the value of such land does not exceed Rs. 1,000 in rural areas and Rs. 5,000 in urban areas.

The Commissioner has to―

(a) supervise the working of the revenue offices,

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

(c) undertake general inspection of offices of all departments within his division,

(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

The Commissioner has to inspect at least two collectorates in a year, two district local boards, 25 per cent, of the borough municipalities and 20 per cent, of the district municipalities and one village panchayat in every district in his division.

The office of the Commissioner is divided in three main branches, viz., revenue branch, general branch and development branch and each of the above branches is supervised by an independent officer designated as Assistant Commissioner with the assistance of an officer in the Grade of a Mamlatdar designated as Head Clerk or Chitnis.

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 set up and the Commissioner is an ex-officio Chairman of the said council. The chief functions of the Divisional Council for 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 in their proper administration,

(c) to supervise and co-ordinate the activities of the village panchayats, and

(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 a Divisional Development Council set up, 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 the 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 bottlenecks and to improve technique for 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, Sampattidan and Small Savings, etc.

In respect of community Develompent Blocks the Commissioner is invested with the powers of the Head of the Department.

Of the powers delegated to the Commissioner in developmental 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 scheme costing up to Rs. 50,000 (in certain cases up to Rs. 1 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 officers, technical and Class IV posts according to actual requirements for the project period but subject to annual review. The Com-missioner 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.

To intensify the movement of Small Savings and to mobilise active support of public for it, there is an officer under the Com-missioner who is designated as Assistarnt Director of Small Savings Organization. There is a Divisional Small Savings Advisory Committee set up, consisting of officials and non-officials and the Commissioner is 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 to render active co-operation in mobilising public support for the scheme,

(c) to assist in recruitment of agents,

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

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

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