POWER & FUNCTION OF DISTRICT COLLECTOR

A PROJECT REPORT

Submitted by

BHAVYA GUPTA

(BAL/026/18)

Of

BA.LL.B (Hons.)

DHARMASHASTRA NATIONAL LAW

UNIVERSITY
Under the guidance of

Dr. JALAJ GOATIYA

&

Ms. DRISTI SINGH

Power & Function of District Collector

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Many people have contributed to this project work by their physical & intellectual support. First
I would like to thanks our Vice Chancellor Professor Balraj Chauhan sir for giving me this
opportunity to make a live project. Many thanks to our HOD Mr. V S Gigimon sir for his
support during the difficulties we faced. I would like to thanks to my supervisor & promoter Mr.
Jalaj sir & Ms. Drishti Ma’am for their support & ideas in writing this report. They guided me
very well during my studies & preparation of this report. Also I would like to thanks my mentor
Mr. Ashutosh sir & my class teacher Mr. Utkarsh sir for their cooperation and kind support. I
would also like to thanks the officials and staff at District Collector office, Jabalpur. Finally I
express my deep gratitude & love to my parents for their never ending support in my work.

BHAVYA GUPTA

(BAL/026/18)

DNLU, JABALPUR 2
Power & Function of District Collector

ABSTRACT

The overall purpose of this project is to find out the power & functions of District Collector &
District Magistrate, Jabalpur. For doing this, I have taken an intvw. of Upper Addl. Collector
(Urban), Jabalpur Mr. Rahul Haridas Fatting. I can make this project even more better if I
had taken intvw. of District Collector, Jabalpur Ms. Chhavi Bhardwaj but she was busy as there
were elections in Jabalpur. The different type of functions of District Collector are Revenue
function, Judiciary function, Development & Residual functions. I also find that there are various
committees formed for helping in maintaining law & order. This research paper will give a brief
idea about the power which are vested in the hands of District Collector. The data collected is of
both the types i.e. primary & secondary. It is quite interesting to know that the authority are very
positive & motivated about their work. Therefore, this project can help the reader to get the
information about the various functions.

DNLU, JABALPUR 3
Power & Function of District Collector

TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER TOPIC DESCRIPTION PAGE NO.
NO.
A Acknowledgement 02

B Abstract 03

C Table of content 04

D Abbreviations 05

1 1.1 Introduction 06

1.2 Importance of study 07

1.3 Research questions 07

1.4 Research objectives 07

1.5 Hypothesis 07

1.6 Research Methodology 07

2 2.1 History 08

3 3.1 Analysis 09-10

3.2 Outcome 11

4 4.1 Findings 12

4.2 Conclusion 13
4.3 Suggestion 14

4.4 Limitations 14

5 5.1 Bibliography 15

DNLU, JABALPUR 4
Power & Function of District Collector

ABBREVIATIONS

 & - And
 Addl. -Additional
 Intvw. - Interview
 Org. - Organization
 Lt. - Lieutenant
 Pt.- Point
 Am - Anti Meridiem
 Pm - Post Meridiem
 Govt. - Government
 i.e. - that is
 Hrs. – Hours
 Approx. – Approximately
 Etc. -  et cetera

DNLU, JABALPUR 5
Power & Function of District Collector

CHAPTER 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The Collector is considered as the key functionary, best prepared to achieve cooperative energy
in the entire array of region organization. As the number of exercises, establishments and offices
engaged with rustic improvement have expanded, the planning and incorporating job of the
Collector in the improvement efforts of the legislature has multiplied & accepted more
noteworthy significance.
They are the essence of the administration at the last mile. It is through their office that
government plans are managed to people in general, lawfulness kept up at the area level, and
open complaints tended to.
A district gatherer, routinely contracted to power, is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
officer responsible for money amassing and association of a zone in India. Since district
specialists are senior-most authority officer in the locale, the post is furthermore insinuated as the
territory judge.
The job of the local organization has expanded complex on account of the presentation of new
planning and advancement capacities. It keeps on being the center point of the Indian
organization as it needs to fabricate the nation from underneath. Most of the ideas of the region
organization has changed definitely with the presentation of vote based decentralization and
Panchayati Raj.
What's more the Collector goes about as a viable connection between the PRIs also, State
Government. He can convey to the notice of the State Government the general population's felt
needs and yearnings and be can try to guarantee that these are given due consideration by various
divisions and are reflected in the move made by the State Government.
All in all, the Collector is relied upon to see that the needs and targets set by the State
Government are met yet the PRIs through individuals' dynamic cooperation. In this way, he
needs to do much support with the State Government in the interest of PRIs. In the meantime, he
needs to assume an organizing job between the Area Level Officers and their individual heads of
divisions.

1.2 IMPORTANCE OF STUDY

This study has captured the present functions and roles of District Collector in Jabalpur, Madhya
Pradesh & has made recommendations about the various activities they can delegate.
The various tasks & responsibilities of Collectors are analyzed to understand the quantum of
their working hours.

DNLU, JABALPUR 6
Power & Function of District Collector

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are various types of task & responsibilities?
2. To find out the various functions i.e. Revenue functions, Judiciary functions,
Development, Residual functions?
3. What are the challenges faced & response to that?
4. What are the changes in power from post- independence to present?
5. What is the need for this post?

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The objective of this project is to find the various powers vested in the hands of District
Collector. It also aims to discover different functions which are essential for the development &
betterment of a District. The motive is to find out the maintenance of law & order in a District.

1.5 HYPOTHESES
“The District Collector is able to maintain law & order and manages the district well.”

1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

I use “socio-legal” method as the research methodology. This is also known as Field based study.
I have taken intvw. of Dr. Rahul Haridas Fatting (Addl. Upper Collector, Urban).

DNLU, JABALPUR 7
Power & Function of District Collector

CHAPTER 2
2.1 HISTORY
The arrangement of neighborhood administration in India today holds coherence with its superb
past. Established on the super structure of the Mughal organization, its progressive structure was
worked by the British amid their run the show. One of the eminent commitments of the British to
the Indian org. is the making of the workplace of Collector and District Officer.
Warren Hastings presented the workplace of the District Collector in 1772. Sir George
Campbell, Lt-Governor of Bengal from 1871-1874, proposed "to render the heads of regions no
longer the hard workers of numerous offices and experts of none, yet in reality the general
controlling specialist over all divisions in each area."
Under the British raj a solitary officer situated at the area home office, usually called the
Collector, was appointed the obligations of the keeping up, lawfulness, peace and amicability,
gathering income and directing equity in the area. For a dominant part of villagers in India, the
Collector symbolized the "administration."
He speaks to the administration at the region level and he must understand the complaints of the
general population and furthermore to take the approaches of the legislature to the general
population and guarantee that the strategy does stayed on the paper alone. He needs to lead,
organize, push and fit different divisions and various part of the administration working at the
local level. "These duties adequately legitimize his overwhelming nature in the Indian
organization.
Afterward, with the proclamation of the National Extension Services and Community
Development Program by the Nehru government in 1952, the District Collector was depended
with the extra obligation of actualizing the administration's advancement programs in the locale.
Indeed, even subsequent to accomplishing freedom the Collector keeps on being the most vital
and additionally most looked for after government official in neighborhood organization.
As the administration made extraordinary walks in country advancement also, social welfare, the
Collector's duties have been incredibly improved, other than conveying a colossal outstanding
task at hand on his shoulders. Due to these advancements his job has turned out to be
progressively poorly characterized as both power and obligations in neighborhood administration
have been decentralized.

DNLU, JABALPUR 8
Power & Function of District Collector

CHAPTER 3
3.1 ANALYSIS
I have taken intvw. of Mr. Rahul Haridas Fatting (Addl. Upper Collector, Urban). He
provide me very amazing answer. His view pt. are as follow:
1. Work schedule: The usual timing is 10:30am to 5:30pm. There is no as such work schedule.
They illuminated that their work started much before they reached their office and proceeded
with substantially after. A portion of this work incorporates convention obligations, crisis
peace related exercises, coordination on telephone, record work, and most imperatively
getting ready for gatherings/audits/offering guidelines to subordinates/new program and so
forth.
2. Functions: The Collector practices a few capacities and powers under countless and state
laws on a differing scope of subjects.
2.1. REVENUE FUNCTIONS- The Collector is the principal revenue officer of a district and
the head of the revenue administration1.His foremost task in this capacity is the
assessment and collection of land revenue for the government. Various important land
statues (Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency2) empower him to responsibly
attend to all land related matters such as survey, allotment, acquisition, relief,
rehabilitation & grievance redressal related to claims on land and compensation.
2.2. JUDICIARY & REGULATORY FUNCTIONS- Maintenance of law and order and
public safety in the district is the primary function of the District Magistrate3. He needs
to look after control, direction and dispersion of nourishment also, affable supplies and
fundamental products.
2.3. DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS- District Collector is the leader of the legislature at the
area level, is in charge of an assorted arrangement of capacities extending from
conveyance of basic administrations, arrive income organization, execution of rustic
advancement programs, debacle administration, upkeep of peace and accumulation of
extract and transport income.
2.4. RESIDUAL FUNCTIONS - All other administration jobs that require basic leadership at
the most abnormal amount are consequently expected by the workplace of the District
Collector.
3. Challenges: There is burden of work because of shortage of staff. Also there is lack of untied
funds. There is mismanagement which result in improper work.
4. Responses to Challenges: Firstly, they don’t themselves overburdened. They use practicality
& common sense. Secondly, they have great motivation for work. They apply human mind to
control the situation

1
Land Revenue Code, 1959
2
Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013)
3
Defined in C.P.C

DNLU, JABALPUR 9
Power & Function of District Collector

5. Change in Power: There is a huge change in power from post-independence to present. As

there was increase in power. Judicial power were added to this post which make District
collector as District Magistrate who maintain law & order.
6. Jan Sunwai: It is basically a public hearing which is held in front of District Collector to
resolve the public problem as fast as possible. Basically giving solution to problem
immediately.
7. Task & Responsibility: The core responsibility of District Collector is to maintain law and
order, land and revenue administration, disaster management, public distribution and civil
supplies, excise, elections, transport, census, protocol, general administration, treasury
management and coordination with various agencies and departments.
8. Multiple Role: Basically there are two role i.e. as District Collector & District Magistrate.
District Collector deals with revenue department & District Magistrate deals with law &
order.
9. Funding: State govt. provides specific budget taking in mind about the population so as to
keep decorum.
10. Committees: There are various committees formed to help District Collector for proper
functioning. In all together, there are 200-300 committees formed, like Red Cross
Committee.
11. Chief Mining Officer: The Collector is the Chief Mining Officer of the district and exercises
powers to grant prospecting license and mining lease4.
12. Power Distribution: There is three sub post also i.e. Upper Addl. Collector (Urban), Lower
Addl. Collector (Rural), Addl. Collector.
13. Need: There is a need to maintain law & order in the state so to look after each & every area,
this post has been created. To maintain law & order at grass root level.
14. A Coordinating Body: Being the highest administrative authority in a district, Collectors are
tasked with ensuring coordination between line-departments, parastatals, private parties and
other agencies, giving them suggestions, removing bottlenecks and raising funds for
implementation where required.
15. In-charge of the Treasury: The Collector is the by and large accountable for the Treasury in
the region and is dependable for sending point by point records of money related exchanges
occurring in the area to the workplace of the Accountant General. He is additionally in
charge of evaluation, convention and other related works.
16. Law Officer: The Collector is the primary officer of the State Law Department at the locale
level also, in this limit he has a noteworthy job in the arrangement of Govt. Counsels for
District Courts.

4
Mines and Minerals
(development and regulation) Act, 1957.

DNLU, JABALPUR 10
Power & Function of District Collector

3.2 OUTCOME
Authorities in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh paper numerous jobs through forces presented upon
them under a substantial number of Union and State laws on an extensive variety of subjects.
Extensively, authority's capacities can be ordered as income, legal, administrative, formative and
leftover. Over the time of a long time since freedom, the jobs of DCs have duplicated what's
more, he is immersed with numerous duties. Alongside his considerable conventional capacities,
his extra obligations have expanded because of number of improvement tasks of the state and the
middle.

Collectors are expected to be competent in, and perform several important functions across a
wide range of subjects and issues.

Authorities recognized deficiency of staff as a noteworthy barrier to serving their capacities all
the more proficiently. While nonattendance of unfastened assets abridges development and
nearby issue fathoming, deficiency of skillful and inspired staff has constrained Collectors to
expect extra departmental obligations additionally adding to their remaining burden.

Authorities verbalized a requirement for appointment of numerous departmental exercises and

advisory groups marking them as tertiary to their principle undertakings identified with income,
lawfulness, also, advancement. This view on designation is much more articulated in the
criticism from previous Collectors.

For a few years currently, changes have concentrated on streamlining exercises at the local to
most successfully utilize the workplace of the Collector and guarantee great administration.

DNLU, JABALPUR 11
Power & Function of District Collector

CHAPTER 4
4.1 FINDINDS
The major findings of the study are as follows:

1. Collectors have multiple roles and widely spread responsibilities: Collectors are the
guardian and chief anchor of the district administration. In addition to this Collectors have
law and order, magisterial, regulatory and revenue responsibilities. Likewise, they have
sundry duties as the Chief Protocol Officer and investigating duties as the senior-most
authoritative officer at the region.
2. Committee-system requires an overhaul: Numerous panels at the region level have
turned out to be clumsy and out of date. They regularly exist notionally, and gatherings are
held just on paper to meet legitimate prerequisites. This annihilations the motivation
behind establishing these advisory groups in any case since they can't unite every one of
the partners in a space to examine appropriate issues.
3. Collectors do not consider themselves overburdened: They don’t consider themselves
overburdened because they manages the system in an effective manner. There is a proper
functioning which reduces the work pressure & load.
4. Shortage of staff and untied funds are constraints: Nonattendance of loosened assets
shortened development and neighborhood critical thinking, lack of skillful and persuaded
staff constrained gatherers to accept numerous departmental obligations additionally
adding to their outstanding task at hand. With better HR available to them, they could
guarantee appropriate appointment, and channel their energies on subjects of more
noteworthy need.
5. Disconnect between present workload and preferences: There appears to be a
disconnection between what Collectors are doing and what they wish to be doing.

DNLU, JABALPUR 12
Power & Function of District Collector

4.2 CONCLUSION
I really like the concept of Live Project. I really want to thanks my university to provide me this
wonderful opportunity to have in-depth knowledge about this topic. I want all incoming projects
to be like this only.
I visited District Collector office for my research work. I prepared few questions which I would
ask to the concern authority to get exact & accurate knowledge. As the District Collector of
Jabalpur Ms. Chhavi Bhardwaj was busy due to upcoming election work so I have taken intvw.
Of Upper Addl. Collector (Urban) Mr. Rahul Haridas Fatting.
He treated me very well & provided me with all possible answers. I keep interviewing him for
1.5 hrs. (approx.). I get all the information which I want for my research.
Also, he ask me to read few books like India after Gandhi, India wins freedom, My experiments
with Truths, etc. He also add some biography which increase the capability of thinking & also
motivate us.
He further add to read newspaper which increase knowledge about world, ongoing things &
news.
He also mentioned about the coordination, management which should be present in every
individual. It makes us a good person.

DNLU, JABALPUR 13
Power & Function of District Collector

4.3 SUGGESTIONS
The huge and far reaching elements of Collectors have brought about a dissemination of the
obligations, and energies.
An essential methods for making more productivity in work at the region level would be to
adjust the advisory group framework. The Collector's essence could be made discretionary or
expelled by and large from a few panels that are monotonous in nature, specialized or as it were
require the gatherer's notional nearness. These could well be dealt with by the specialized leaders
of the division or part specialists in the administration. Some such boards of trustees are
identified with wellbeing (TB, Immunization, AIDS and Family Planning), activity, and social
welfare and so on. Essentially, boards of trustees identified with urban advancement can be
assigned to the Municipal Official.
Another method for lessening the quantity of repetitive boards of trustees is by making a focal
Nodal Committee for every division with the Collector's participation. This parent board of
trustees would have coordinated direction and all advisory groups of an office could fill in as
auxiliaries to their particular division's nodal advisory group. Office head could channel the most
imperative and talk commendable issues from the gatherings of these backup boards of trustees
and convey them to the table for discourse at the gathering of the Nodal Committee with the
gatherer.
Writing on managerial decentralization demonstrates that Indian states are among the most
noticeably bad entertainers in the region when contrasted and different nations. In India, nearby
choice making stays in the hands of the state organization, and at the region level, it is amassed
in the workplace of the Collector. A training frequently observed in managerial designation and
decentralization is that a paradigm for allotting jobs to different officers isn't unmistakably
characterized. Regularly the slightest noteworthy capacities appear to be exchanged to different
officers with no comprehension of the most effective arrangement of open administration
conveyance to be accomplished through this appointment.

4.4 LIMITATIONS
a. The first & foremost limitation is that it is not generalized. It is based on information
which I gather at Jabalpur District Collector Office.
b. Secondly, it is just based on the view pt. of only one person i.e. Addl. Upper Collector,
Jabalpur.

DNLU, JABALPUR 14
Power & Function of District Collector

CHAPTER 5
5.1 BIBLIOGRAPHY
i. Land Revenue Code, 1959
ii. Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement, 2013
iii. Civil Procedural Code
iv. Mine & Mineral (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957
v. S. Mishra. 1996. Changing Pattern of District Administration. New Delhi: Mittal
Publications.

DNLU, JABALPUR 15