The Gazetteers Department

Each Tahsildar is assisted by four to five Naib-Tahsildars for the efficient performance of the revenue, tenancy and other work in the tahsil. Besides these, the following are the other officers in Tahsildars' grade: -

(1) Special Land Acquisition Officer.

(2) Assistant Director of Small Savings.

(3) Assistant District Supply Officer.

This district has been divided into 30 revenue circles. There are six revenue circles each in Kelapur, Yeotmal and Pusad tahsils, respectively; seven revenue circles in Darwha tahsil and five revenue circles in Ward tahsil. Each such circle contain 40 to 80 villages For every revenue circle a Circle Inspector is appointed for the revenue work of that circle. Patwvaris are appointed for halks ; each halka contains on an average three villages depending upon the size of the village.

(i) Revenue.-The Tahsildar's revenue duties are to enquire and report on cases under various sections of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code and other acts to the higher officers who have powers to dispose of the matters. There are certain powers under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code vested in the Tahsildars under which they themselves can dispose of certain matters.

In regard to the annual demand and collection of land revenue he is to prepare the jamabandi of the tahsil. The jamabandi of a tahsil is an audit of the previous year's accounts. The demand for fixed agricultural revenue as well as the non-agricultural demand is settled. There are remissions and suspensions to be calculated upon the fixed demand in lean years. Remissions and suspensions are granted in accordance with the crop annewari with the determination of which the Tahsildar is most intimately concerned. To the demand of fixed revenue is added the amount of non-agricultural assessment and fluctuating land revenue such as that arising from the sale of trees, stones, sand, melon beds, etc, when the individuals apply for them.

The main burden of the work of collection of land revenue tagai dues and other dues recoverable as arrears of land revenue falls on the Tahsildar. He can issue notices, impose fines, distrain and sell moveable or immoveable property under the provisions of the Maharasthtra Land Revenue Code. In short, he is to follow the procedure laid down in various sections of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, and the rules thereunder.

It is also his duty to see that there is no breach of any of the conditions of the lease or any irregularities or encroachments upon Government land and to take immediate cognizance in such a case.

Applications for grant of tagai are received by the Tahsildar who makes enquiries into them through the patwaris, inspects the site for the improvement of which tagai is sought, ascertains whether the security offered is sufficient, determines what instalments for repayment would be suitable, etc. Under the provisions of the Agriculturists' Loans Act and the Land Improvement Loans Act there are certain limits up to which he himself can grant the loan. If the granting of the loan is not within his powers he enquires into the case thoroughly and submits his report in the case for the orders of the Sub-Divisional Officer or the Collector, whoever is competent to pass final orders regarding the grant of the loan.

The Tahsildar's duties regarding tagai do not end with the granting of it: he has to see that the loan in question is properly utilised, inspect the works undertaken with it, watch the payment and make recoveries from the defaulters. The Tahsildars are primarily responsible for the administration of the Maharashtra Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act within the areas under their respective charges.

Additional Tahsildars and Naib-Tahsildars (Mahalkaris) have been appointed for each tahsil for the work in connection with the implementation of the Tenancy Law. The Tahsildars are in overall charge of the tahsil administration and are not in any wav concerned with matters coming under the purview of the Tenancy Law for which Additional Tahsildars and Naib-Tahsildars are appointed.

(ii) Quasi-judicial.-There are multifarious duties the Tahsildar has to perform in his capacity as tahsil officer. He is also to enquire in respect of disputed cases in connection with the Record-of-Rights in each village. The matters which the Tahsildar has to enquire into are registered under appropriate heads mentioned in the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code.

(iii) Magisterial.-Every Tahsildar is the ex-offrcio Taluka Magistrate of his tahsil. The Naib-Tahsildars are also appointed as Taluka Magistrates. They are to hear chapter cases under the Criminal Procedure Code from various police stations allotted to them. They have to keep the District Magistrate and the Sub-Divisional Magistrates informed of all the criminal activities in their charge and take step; incidental to the maintenance of law and order in their charge with the aid of police.

(iv) Treasury and Accounts.-As a Sub-Treasury Officer the Tahsildar is in charge of the tahsil treasury which is called sub-treasury The sub-treasuries are under the control of the Naib-Tahsildars designated as Sub-Treasury Officers. All moneys due to Government in the tahsil from land revenue, forest, excise, public works, sales tax and income tax dues and other receipts are paid into this treasury and credited to the receipt head and drawn from it under cheques and hills. The tahsil sub-treasury is also the local depot for stamns, general, court-fee and postal, of all denominations. The sub-treasury at Darwha is under the control of Finance Department from April, 1964 and is managed by a Sub-Treasury Officer appointed from the finance cadre.

Sub treasuries at Arvi and Umarkhed are only non-banking sub-treasuries where the cash business is conducted by the sub-treasury officers. At all other sub-treasuries in the district, business is conducted by the local branches of the State Bank.

The Tahsildar has to verify the balances in the sub-treasury, including those of stamps on the closing day of each month. The report of the verification, together with the monthly returns of receipts under different heads, has to be submitted by the Tahsildar to the treasury at Yeotmal. The sub-treasuries are annually inspected by the Collector and the Sub-Divisional Officers. The district treasury is also inspected every year by the Collector.

(v) Other administrative duties.-In addition to the duties mentioned above he is responsible to the Collector and the Sub-Divisional Officer. He has to keep them constantly informed of all political happenings, outbreak of epidemics and other matters.

He generally helps or guides the officers of other departments in the execution of their respective duties in so far as his tahsil is concerned. He is responsible for the cattle census. The Tahsildar is also expected to propagate co-operative principles in his tahsil. The Tahsildar's position in relation to the tahsil officers of other departments, e.g., the Station Officers of the Police department, the Sub-Registrar, the Range Forest Officer, Medical Officer, Post-master, etc., is not definable. Though they are nor subordinate to him they are grouped round him and are expected to help and co-operate with him in their respective spheres.

Though the Tahsildar is not expected to work directly for local bodies he is usually the principal source of the Collector's information about them.

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