 |
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 descriptions that follow in this chapter and in chapters 11-17 the departments of the State operating in the Kolaba district have been grouped as follows: -
Chapter 1o-General Administration.
Chapter 11-Revenue Administration.
Chapter 12-Law and 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.
The Kolaba district formerly consisted of three sub-divisions composed of eight talukas, four mahals and one hill station. After the merger of Janjira and Bhor States into the then Bombay State, three mahals from the former Janjira State and one mahal from the former Bhor State were added to Kolaba district in 1948. The district now covers an area of 2,715.1 [The area figure of the district of Kolaba supplied by the Surveyor General of India is 2,715.1 sq. miles. The area figures given by the Census authorities, which are reproduced in this table were obtained by the Census authorities from the District Inspector of Land Records or from local records.] sq. miles and according to the census of 1951, has a population of 9,09,083.
|
