District Collector:

                            District Collector:

The office of  the Collector is an important  institution  transmitted by the British  rulers to the Indian administrative system. ye performs traditional revenue function  as well as development functions.  Throughout the country, the power and functions  of the Collector, more or less, remain the same.
Broadly, the Collector performs the  following functions:
1.Head of Revenue Administration;
2.Head of Police Administration,
3.Head of District Administration, and
4.An agent of the Government

Revenue

The Collector started as a revenue functionary and  he continues to be the principal  Revenue Officer and Head of the Revenue  Administration in  the district.  After independence, the importance of revenue administration has become secondary. The  District Collector  I emphasis has shifted to Development Administration, though the revenue functions  still remain with the District Collector. Besides collection of revenue, the Collectors  are  responsible for the collection of all other  duties like  takkavi  loans and dues  belonging to  other  Departments.  Maintenance of land  records and collection of  statistics at the village level are some other functions of the Collector. He exercises  appellate jurisdiction in revenue cases. The  recovery of arrears of land revenue in  respect of all Departments is the responsibility of the Collector. In the discharge of his  revenue  functions,  many officers  like  the  Revenue  Divisional Officers, Tahsildars, Revenue Inspectors and Village Officers assist the Collector.
As the Head of the Revenue Administration, he  is the kingpin of relief operations in the district. In  emergency  situation like floods and famines the Collector plays a  very crucial  role in relief operations.  The Government takes decision regarding the  quantum of relief and the manner of distribution mostly on the basis of assessment made by the Collector.

Law and Order

District Collector  also  functions as District Magistrate and is  responsible for the  maintenance of law and order in the district. After the separation of judiciary from the executive, the Collector is concerned with the preventive sections of the criminal procedure code. As District Magistrate, he is Head of the  Police Administration of  the  district.  In this function, Superintendent of Police who  is the Head of police  force in the district helps the Collector in  discharge of his police functions.  In all  important  matters,  the  Superintendent of Police  takes orders from the Collector.
There have been  many instances of strained relations'between the Collector and the Superintendent of Police. In  certai  situations, lack of understanding between  the two affect the entire District Admin stration.

Head of District Administration

The Collector continues to be the Head of the  District Administration.  As District Magistrate, he is responsible for the maintenance of law and order. As chief revenue  officer, he is responsible for the collection of revenues. He  is also closely associated with several other  Departments like  Education, Industries,  Cooperatives, Public Works, etc. In respect of Panchayati Raj, in several States, he has a very important relationship with the Panchayati Raj bodies. As a Head of the district administration, he plays a coordinating role between different Departments like Revenue, Police and other Departments.  The Collector supervises the working of municipalities. He has power to suspend the resolutions of local bodies, if they constitute a threat to public peace. He also Heads a number of official and non-official bodies in-fhe district like the  Road  Transport  Authority,  District  Employment  Comm~ttee, Welfare Committees, Red Cross  Society,  etc.  The amount of time  he spends on these activities depends on his personal interest.

An Agent of the Government

He  is looked upon as an agent of the Government at the district level.  He hoists the national flag on Independence and Republic days. He has several protocol functions like  meeting the Ministers and other important dignitaries.  In  emergencies like floods and famines, he can call upon  any branch of the  District  Administration to undertake any specific work to provide assistance Census  operations and conduct of  elections to various democratic bodies from the Parliament to the Gram Panchayat is  another important function.  The Collector is also an agent of the Governor in respect  of scheduled tribes' areas in some of the districts.  There are other functions also with  which the  Collector is  intimately  associated  like social security, pensions, excise, grant of licenses  for  arms,  etc.  The  scarcity and rising  prices due  to public distribution system has become an important part of district administration. He  is directly responsible for the distribution and control of all essential commodities and goods. He issues licenses for trading in foodgrains and other commodities. As Head of the distribution system, he is expected to ensure timely and equitable distribution of scarce commodities.