COLLECTOR

The Collector occupies a central place in the district administration. He is the head of the Revenue administration in the district and acts as the co-ordinating officer among all the officers of the Government in the district. So far as the needs and exigencies of the district administration are concerned, he is expected to supervise, the working of other departments also. In fact, he plays a pivotal role in the administration of the district.

Revenue: The Collector is most intimately connected with the operation of the Bombay Land Revenue Code. He is the custodian of Government property in land (including trees and water wherever situated) and at the same time the guardian of the interests of members of the public in land so far as the interests of Government in land have been conceded to them. All lands wherever situated whether applied to Agricultural or other purposes are liable to payment of land revenue, except in so far as they may be expressly exempted by a special contract. Such land revenue is of three kinds, viz., agricultural assessment; non agricultural assessment and miscellaneous assessment. The duties of the Collector are in respect of (1) fixation, (2) collection and (3) accounting of all such land revenue.

The assessment is fixed on each piece of land in proportion to its productivity. The assessment is generally revised every thirty years taluka by taluka. A revision survey of  settlement is carried out by the Land Records department before a revision is made and the Collector is expected to review the settlement reports with great care and caution. Assessment is usually guaranteed against increase for a period of thirty years. The Government, however, grants suspensions and remissions in bad seasons as a matter of grace and determination of the amount of these suspensions and remissions is made by the Collector. As regards non-agricultural assessment, the Bombay Land Revenue Code provides for alteration of agricultural assessment to non-agricultural assessments. In the same way unassessed land used for non-agricultural purposes is also assessed at non-agricultural rates.

According to the provisions of the Bombay Land Revenue Code, only the Collector is empowered to take action in these matters. Miscellaneous land revenue also has to be fixed by the Collector according to the circumstances of each case, when Government land is temporarily leased. It is also realised by sale of earth, stones, usufruct of trees, revenue fines, etc.

Till the formation of the Zilla Parishads in May 1962, collection of land revenue rested with the Collector,  who had to see that the revenue dues were recovered punctually, with the minimum of coercion and that the collections were properly credited and accounted for in the branch of the wasul-baki-navis both at the taluka level and the district level. Since 1962 this work was entrusted to the Assistant Gram Sevaks, i.e.  talathis,  who were working under the Zilla Parishad till 1965 but on account of re-allotment of the talathis from the Zilla Parishad to the Revenue department from 15th November 1965, this has now to be done by the Collector as before. Even during the period from 1962 to 1965, the Collector had to see that the revenue was recovered punctually and had to supervise and review the progress of collection from time to time.

FUNCTIONS OF DISTRICT COLLECTOR OFFICE

Broad areas of functions of district collector are as follows : ( Follow the links to see the
related acts under which district collector performs these duties.)

	Maintenance of Land Records, collection of Land Revenue and allied Matters.
	Land Acquisition.
	Control over extraction of Minor Minerals and collection of royalty for minor minerals.
	Local Self Government.
	Resettlement of Project Affected Persons.
	Town Planning.
	Elections.
	Entertainment.
	Civil Supplies.
	Land Reforms.
	Poverty Alleviation.
	Law and Order.
	Excise and Prohibition.
	Court Fees, Stamps and registration.
	Ecology and Environment.
	Relief Debt.
	Land Improvements.
	Trustee and Guradianship.

Maintenance of Land Records ,collection of Land Revenue and allied Matters.
1. The Mamalatdar's Court Act, 1906.
2. Hyderabad Atiyat Enquiries Act 1952.
3. Bombay Divisional Commissioners'Act, 957.
4. Maharashtra Education and Employment Guarantee (Cess) Act, 1962.
5. Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966.
6. Maharashtra Increase in Land Revenue and Special Assessment Act,1974.
7. Maharashtra Irrigation Act, 1976.
Land Acquisition.
1. Bombay Land Requisition Act, 1948.
2. Bombay Government Premises Eviction Act, 1955.
3. Public Premises Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants Act, 1971.
4. Land Acquisition Act, 1984.
Control over extraction of Minor Minerals and collection of royalty for minor minerals.
1. Bombay Minor Minerals (Extraction) Rules, 1955.
2. Maharashtra Abolition of Subsisting Proprietary Rights to 16 Minor and Minerals in Certain Lands Act, 1985.
Local Self Government.
1.Bombay Village Panchayat Act, 1958.
2. Maharashtra ZP and Panchayat Samiti Act, 1961.
3. Maharashtra Municipalities Act, 1965.
Resettlement of Project Affected Persons.
1.The Bombay Refugees Act, 1948.
2. Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1954
3. Maharashtra Religious Endowments (Reconstruction on Resettlement 45 Sites) Act, 1970.
4. Maharashtra Resettlement of Projects Displaced Persons Act, 1976.
Town Planning.
1. Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, 1966.
2. Bombay Highways Act, 1955.
Elections.
1. Representation of People's Act, 1950.
2. Representation of People's Act, 1951.
3. Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960.
4. Maharashtra Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1963.
5. Maharashtra Local Authorities Members Disqualifications Act, 1986.
Entertainment.
1. Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887.
2. Bombay Entertainment Duty Act, 1923.
3. Bombay Betting Tax Act, 1925.
4. Bombay Cinema (Regulation) Act, 1953.
5. The Prize Competition Act, 1955.
6. Maharashtra Advertisement Tax Act, 1965.
Civil Supplies.
1. Bombay Weights and Measures Act, 1930.
2. Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
3. Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supply of 103 Essential Commodities Act, 1980.
Land Reforms.
Part 'A'	1. Bombay Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of 107 Holdings Act, 1947.
	2. Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948
	3. Hyderabad Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1950.
	4. Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region) Act, 1958.
	5. Maharashtra Agricultural lands (Ceiling an Holdings) Act, 1961.
	6. Maharashtra Restoration of Lands to Scheduled Tribes Act, 1974.
Part 'B' Various Acts Of Land Tenure Abolition	1. Bombay Khoti Abolition Act, 1949.
	2. Bombay Merged Territories and Areas (Jahagirs Abolition) Act 1949.
	3. Bombay Bhagidari and Narwardari Tenures Abolition Act, 1949.
	4. Bombay Kaul and Katumn Tenures Abolition Act, 1950.
	5. Bombay Pargana and Kulkarni Watan (Abolition) Act, 1950.
	6. Bombay City (I narni and Special Tenures) Abolition Act, 1950.
	7. Bombay Permnal lnams Abolition Act, 1952.
	8. The Saiwtte Estate (Land Revenue & Exemption Abolition) Act, 1951.
	9. Bombay Saranjam Jagirdar and other lnarns of Political Resumption Act, 1962.
	10. Bombay Merged Territories (Janjira and Bhor) Khoti Tenure Abolition Act, 1953.
	11. Abolition of Cash Grants (Hyderabad) Act, 1952.
	12. Bombay Personal lnams Abolition Act, 1953.
	13. Bombay Service lnams (Useful to Community) Abolition Act, 1953.
	14. Bombay Bhils, Naika Inam Abolition Act, 1955.
	15. Bombay Merged Territories Miscellaneous Alienation Abolition Act, 1955.
	16. Abolition of lnams (Hyderabad) Act, 1955.
	17. Bombay Shilotri Rights (Coloba) Abolition Act, 1955.
	18. Bombay Shetgi Watan Rights (Ratnagiri) Abolition Act, 1957.
	19. Bombay Inferior Village Watans Abolition Act, 1958.
	20. Bombay Merged Territories and Area (Jagirs Abolition) Act, 1958.
	21. Bombay Bandhijam, Udhad and Ugadia Tenures Abolition Act, 1959
	22. Maharashtra Revenue Patels (Abolition of Offices) Act, 1962.
	23. Maharashtra Revenue Patels (Watan) Abolition Act, 1965.
	24. Maharashtra Miscellaneous Alienations (Hyderabad Enclaves) Abolition Act, 1965
Poverty Alleviation.
1. Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976
2. Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Scheme Act, 1977.
Law and Order.
1. Markets and Fairs Act, 1862.
2. Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.
3. Bombay Ferries Inland Vessels Act, 1868.
4. Cattle Trespass Act, 1931.
5. Criminal Procedure Code, 1973.
6. The Dramatic Performance Act, 1876.
7. Indian Explosive Act, 1884.
8. The Telegraph Act, 1885.
9. Indian Electricity Act, 1910.
10. Bombay Devdasis Protection Act, 1934.
11. Petroleum Act, 1934, Petroleum Rules, 1976.
12. Probation of Offenders Act, 1958.
13. Factories Act, 1948.
14. Bombay Prevention of Ex-communication Act, 1949.
15. Bombay Police Act, 1951.
16. Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act, 1956
17. Bombay Habitual Offenders Act, 1959.
18. Indian Arms Act, 1959.
19. Maharashtra Village Police Act, 1967
20. Maintenance of Internal Security Act, 1971.
21. Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slum Lords, Bootleggers and Drug Offenders Act, 1981.
22. Bombay Prison (Furlough and Parole) Rules, 1969.
Excise and Prohibition.
1. Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949.
2. Medicinal and Toilet Preparation (Excise Duties) Act, 1955.
3. Bombay Denatured Spirit Rules, 1959 1 Bombay Denatured Spirit 170 (Transport in Bond) Rules, 1969.
Court Fees, Stamps and registration.
1. Indian Registration Act, 1908.
2. Bombay Stamp Act, 1958.
3. Bombay Court Fees Act, 1959.
Ecology and Environment.
1. Indian Forests Act, 1927.
2. Bombay Wild Animals and Wild Birds Protection Act, 1951.
3. Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964.
4. Maharashtra Sale of Trees by Occupants Belonging to Scheduled Tribes Regulation Act, 1969.
5. Maharashtra National and State Patks Act, 1970.
6. Maharashtra Private Forest (Acquisition) Act, 1975.
Relief Debt.
1. Bombay Non-Agriculturist Loans Act, 1928.
2. Bombay Agricultural Debtor's Relief Act, 1947.
3. Maharashtra Debtor's Relief Act, 1976.
4. Maharashtra Groundwater Act, 1993.
Land Improvements.
1. Bombay Land Improvements Schemes Act, 1942.
2. Bombay Khar Lands, 1949.
Trustee and Guradianship.
1. Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878.
2. Bombay Court of Wards Act, 1905.
3. Indian Lunacy Act, 1912.
4. Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Act, 1960.