Organization of District Administration:
- Divisional Commissioner:
- Acts as a liaison between district and state governments.
- Established: 1829 by William Bentinck to supervise the Collector’s work.
- States with Divisional Commissioners: Rajasthan, Assam, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.
- States without Divisional Commissioners: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, etc.
- Divisional System in Rajasthan:
- Initially, Rajasthan had five divisions (Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bikaner, Kota).
- Post abolished in 1962 but re-established in 1987.
- Current Divisions: Jaipur (added in 1987), Bharatpur (added in 2005), and a total of 7 divisions.
- Appointment: Senior IAS officer appointed by the state government.
- Tenure: Not fixed.
Functions of the Divisional Commissioner:
- Organizes meetings with key district officers and provides guidance.
- Ensures coordination among various departments.
- Conducts inspections of government offices.
- Monitors development schemes within the division.
- Evaluates performance (e.g., confidential reports) of the District Collector and other officers.
- Oversees land revenue disputes and laws under acts like the Rajasthan Land Revenue Act and Rajasthan Excise Act.
- Division-specific responsibilities: e.g., Indira Gandhi Canal Project in Bikaner, Desert Development in Jodhpur.
- District Collector (Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate in some states):
- Post Established: 1772 by Warren Hastings.
- First Collector: Rolf Sheldon.
- Appointment: IAS officer with 5-7 years of experience, appointed by the state government.
- Tenure: Not fixed.
- Functions:
- Administrative: Conducts elections, handles public grievances, manages district properties (e.g., Circuit Houses), and ensures food supply.
- Revenue Functions: Collection of taxes (land revenue, agricultural tax, etc.), land acquisition, and maintaining land records.
- Law and Order: Maintains law and order, supervises the police, grants arms licenses, and issues certificates (e.g., caste and residence).
- Development Functions: Manages district development plans, monitors implementation of development projects, and collaborates with Panchayati Raj Institutions.
- Disaster Management: Acts as the Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, handling disaster responses like floods, droughts, and earthquakes.
- Protocol Duties: Receives dignitaries and conducts elections as the Returning Officer.
Notable Facts:
- Ramsay MacDonald: Described the Collector’s post as the “tortoise on whose back the Government of India is riding.”
- Lakhina Pattern: Introduced by Anil Kumar Lakhina in 1984 in Maharashtra to simplify district administration with innovations like the Single Window System.
- District Government Concept: Introduced in Madhya Pradesh by Chief Minister Digvijay Singh in 1999-2000, making a minister in charge of the district.
- Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO):
- Functions as an administrative unit between the district and tehsil levels.
- Appointment: By the state government, usually RAS (Rajasthan Administrative Service) officers.
- Tenure: Not fixed.
- Total Subdivisions in Rajasthan: 299.
- Functions:
- As a land revenue officer: manages land records, inspects tehsildar offices, collects revenue, and prevents land encroachment.
- As a magistrate: maintains law and order, inspects police stations, implements Section 144.
- As an administrative officer: identifies Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, monitors distribution of essential commodities, and organizes revenue campaigns.
- As an election officer: arranges elections and acts as the Assistant Returning Officer for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.
- As a judicial officer: handles land disputes, pasture and forest land disputes, and land transfer issues.
- Tehsildar:
- Total Tehsils in Rajasthan: 368 (including 29 new tehsils).
- Appointment: By the Revenue Board, Ajmer.
- Training: 6½ months at Revenue Research and Training Institute (RRTI) Ajmer or APRTS Tonk.
- Functions:
- Land revenue collection and maintaining Jamabandi (land records).
- Magisterial duties, including the imposition of fines and short-term imprisonment.
- Administrative duties, such as conducting census, issuing domicile certificates, and preparing electoral rolls.
- Acts as a Sub-Registrar, handling property registrations.
- Manages relief operations during disasters (e.g., famine, flood, epidemics).
- Patwari:
- Recruitment: Through Rajasthan Staff Selection Board, Jaipur, under the recommendation of the Revenue Board.
- Training: Conducted at Patwari Training Schools in cities like Udaipur, Jaipur, and Kota.
- Functions:
- Maintenance of land records, including Jamabandi, mutation registers, and crop conditions.
- Collection of land revenue and other taxes.
- Implementing land reforms and conducting revenue campaigns.
- Reporting encroachments, assisting in elections, and conducting censuses.
- Helping with natural calamity assessments and welfare schemes at the village level.
Jail Administration:
- Managed by the Superintendent of Police (SP) in coordination with the District Collector.
Police Administration:
- Superintendent of Police (SP):
- Creation: 1808 AD.
- Appointment: Through direct recruitment or promotion.
- Tenure: Not fixed.
- Functions:
- Maintains law and order in the district.
- Coordinates with the District Collector.
- Inspects police stations and controls district police.
- Executes operations like Operation AAG and Operation Milap.
- Additional SP: Assists the SP in maintaining law and order.
- Deputy SP (DySP): Assists in the administration and supervision of police operations at the sub-divisional level.
Revenue and Development Administration:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Heads the development activities in the district, often working closely with Panchayati Raj Institutions.
- Block Development Officer (BDO): Supervises development projects at the block level, ensuring effective implementation of state policies.
- Patwari: Plays a crucial role in rural development, maintaining land records and assisting in implementing welfare programs.
Additional Relevant Facts and Information on District Administration:
Role of District Collector:
- Historical Context:
- The District Collector is considered the most pivotal figure in district administration, often referred to as the Mini-Government due to their extensive powers and responsibilities.
- Ramsay MacDonald once remarked that the “Collector is the tortoise on whose back the Government of India rides,” reflecting the importance of this role in British India and continuing in modern-day India.
- Authority in Crisis Management:
- During natural disasters, epidemics, riots, or other crises, the District Collector becomes the focal point of administration, ensuring immediate relief measures.
- Disaster Management Act of 2005: The Collector serves as the Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority, responsible for coordinating relief efforts, evacuating affected populations, and managing disaster-related compensation and resettlement.
- Judicial Role:
- In their capacity as District Magistrate, the Collector holds judicial powers related to maintaining law and order under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). This includes the authority to impose curfews or restrictions on assemblies when public peace is at risk.
- The Collector also acts on issues like arms licensing, handling complaints related to public nuisance, smuggling, drug trade, and preventing terrorism.
- Electoral Duties:
- As Returning Officer, the Collector is responsible for conducting elections at various levels, including Lok Sabha (MP), Vidhan Sabha (MLA), Panchayati Raj, and urban local bodies. The Collector also oversees the electoral roll updating process.
- Coordination with Armed Forces:
- The District Collector is the key point of contact between civil administration and military units during times of military exercises or operations within their district. They ensure smooth coordination for logistics, supplies, or local support when required.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) / Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO):
- Bridge Between District and Tehsil:
- The SDM, also referred to as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, acts as a bridge between the district-level administration and the tehsil. They manage law and order, revenue collection, and development schemes at the sub-divisional level.
- Judicial Functions: The SDM has the authority to preside over civil cases such as land disputes, boundary issues, and encroachments. They may also oversee criminal matters related to public order and peace under Section 144.
- Revenue Functions: The SDM plays a crucial role in land revenue administration, ensuring land records are updated, taxes collected, and disputes resolved at the local level. They conduct inspections of tehsildar and patwari offices.
- Key Fact:
- The SDM is often called the “Eye and Ear of the District Collector” due to their on-ground presence and frequent reporting on local issues.
Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar:
- Tehsildar:
- The Tehsildar oversees revenue collection in their tehsil and is responsible for maintaining accurate land records (Jamabandi), managing property disputes, and executing land-related reforms such as land redistribution and conversion.
- Magisterial Role: The Tehsildar can impose fines and short-term imprisonment for minor offenses in their jurisdiction and also handles public grievance redressal.
- Property Registration: The Tehsildar acts as a Sub-Registrar, handling the registration of sales and purchases of land and other property.
- Naib Tehsildar:
- Functions as a deputy to the Tehsildar and performs similar duties on a smaller scale, ensuring the smooth administration of revenue laws, land records, and collection of taxes.
Patwari:
- Rural Administration Backbone:
- The Patwari is one of the most critical figures in the rural administrative structure, tasked with maintaining and updating land records, collecting land revenue, and assisting in various administrative tasks such as surveys and inspections.
- Functions in Revenue Collection: Patwaris are responsible for maintaining village revenue records, ensuring land revenue is collected, and reporting land transactions or disputes to higher authorities.
- Role in Government Schemes: Patwaris play a significant role in the implementation of rural development schemes by identifying eligible beneficiaries, distributing resources, and overseeing agricultural welfare programs.
- Emergency Assistance: In cases of natural calamities (floods, droughts, etc.), the Patwari assesses damage to crops and property and helps identify families in need of relief.
Jail Administration:
- Superintendent of Jail:
- The Superintendent of Police (SP), under certain administrative setups, also supervises jail administration, ensuring security and the welfare of prisoners.
- The Superintendent of Jail is responsible for the overall functioning of the prison, which includes maintaining discipline, ensuring safety, and managing resources like food, healthcare, and vocational training for inmates.
Police Administration:
- Superintendent of Police (SP):
- The SP heads the district police force, overseeing law enforcement, crime prevention, and public safety.
- The SP is responsible for maintaining law and order and ensuring police stations function efficiently. They report to both the District Collector and the Home Department.
- Cooperation with the Collector: The SP works closely with the District Collector, especially in cases related to public order, curfews, or emergencies.
- Role in Major Operations:
- The SP leads district-wide police operations, such as anti-smuggling efforts or anti-terrorist operations. For instance, Operation AAG and Operation Milap are examples of special initiatives taken to curb illegal activities.
Revenue Administration:
- Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM):
- Oversees revenue collection in the sub-division, including taxes on land, irrigation, stamp duty, etc.
- Ensures that government land is not encroached upon and that any disputed or government land is properly marked and recorded.
- Tehsildar:
- As the head of revenue administration at the tehsil level, Tehsildars ensure accurate land revenue collection and manage land records.
- They are also responsible for land boundary demarcation, issuing residence and caste certificates, and handling public complaints.
Development Administration:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Zila Parishad:
- The CEO plays a crucial role in rural development, managing schemes related to health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure at the district level.
- The CEO ensures that funds allocated for rural development are utilized effectively and monitors the progress of various government welfare schemes.
- Block Development Officer (BDO):
- The BDO is responsible for implementing development schemes at the block level, ensuring local infrastructure projects and agricultural reforms are carried out effectively.
- They coordinate with various Panchayats within their block and submit regular reports on developmental progress to higher authorities.
Commissionerate System:
- Powers of the Police Commissioner:
- In metropolitan cities like Jaipur and Jodhpur, the Commissionerate system grants the Police Commissioner magisterial powers, allowing them to issue arms licenses, enforce curfews, and implement sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
- Commissioner System Established in Rajasthan:
- First introduced in Jaipur and Jodhpur on January 1, 2011, under the leadership of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
- The system was designed to reduce the burden on the District Collector and provide quicker administrative decisions related to law and order.
- Present Commissioners:
- Jaipur Commissioner: Anand Srivastava
- Jodhpur Commissioner: Jose Mohan
Key Facts and Innovations in District Administration:
- Lakhina Pattern (1984):
- Introduced by Anil Kumar Lakhina in Maharashtra, this pattern emphasizes innovations such as work simplification and the Single Window System, aiming to streamline district administration.
- District Government Concept (1999-2000):
- Initiated by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, this concept aimed to decentralize power by assigning ministers to oversee districts, providing greater autonomy and efficiency in district administration.
Important Roles and Functions in Disaster Management:
- Chairperson of District Disaster Management Authority:
- The District Collector acts as the head of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), coordinating relief efforts during natural and man-made disasters.
- They are responsible for planning, preparedness, and response activities during disasters like floods, droughts, earthquakes, and terrorist attacks.