Collectorate

A district is an administrative division of a state. Each district in India has an officer-in-charge who represents the state governments in that area in the capacity of Collector/District Magistrate. The office of the collector, is the chief representative of government in a District. District Collectors are entrusted with a wide range of duties in the jurisdiction of the district, which generally involve :

As District Magistrate :

1.  Maintenance of law and order.
2. Supervision of the police and jails.
3. Supervision of subordinate Executive Magistracy.
4. Hearing cases under the preventive section of the Criminal Procedure Code.
5. Supervision of jails and certification of execution of capital sentences.
6. Arbitrator of land acquisition.
7. Disaster management during natural calamities such as floods, famines or epidemics.
8. Crisis management during riots or external aggression.

As Collector :

1. Land assessment
2. Land acquisition
3. Collection
4. Collection of  excise duties, irrigation dues etc.
5. Distribution of agricultural loans
6. Chairman of the District Bankers Coordination Committee
7. Head of the District Industries Centre

As Deputy Commissioner/District Commissioner :

1. Reports to Divisional Commissioner on all matters.

As District Election Officer:

1. Conducts Elections in the district, be it General, Parliamentary, Assembly or Municipal.
2. Acts as the Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Constituency in the district.

Collectorate is the hub of all the activities of the government in the district. The Collector, also known as District Magistrate, has wide magisterial and executive  powers and manifold responsibilities. In many ways, he is the chief custodian of law and authority, the pivot on which runs the local administration. The Collector, is assisted by Additional District Collectors/Magistrates and Deputy Collectors. Works of office of Collector is divided into different sections. In each section one or two employees are posted who work under the supervision of office superintendent/assistant office superintendent.

The Collectorate is composed of a series of sections dealing with a varied nature of activities.

1. Chief Revenue Account (CRA) Section – Revenue related
2. Nazarat Section – Housekeeping related
3. Revenue Record Keeper (RRK) Section – Revenue Record related
4. Judicial Record Keeper (JRK) Section – Judicial Record related
5. English Record Keeper (ERK) Section – Mail receiving and despatch section
6. Combined Office Section – Hub of multiple activities
7. Mining Section – Mining related
8. Arms Section – Arms and Ammunition Licensing related
9. Food Safety and Drug Control Section – Food and Drug licensing related
10. Disaster Section – Disaster Management cell
11. e-District Section – e-Governance related
12. Form Keeper Section – Various Forms and stationery related
13. Sahukari Section – Licensing Money lending related

All the above sections are staffed with sectional heads, senior clerks, clerks, account clerks, computer operators, copyist, electrician, gardeners, multi-tasking persons/peon and watchmen.