Textbook: District Administration | History and Civics Class 6 (Maharashtra Board) PDF Download

 Page 1


77
Do such questions occur to you, too? 
The Zilla Parishad is a part of the rural 
local government system i.e. the 
Panchayati Raj system. But in 
Maharashtra, the administration of the 
district is shared by both the Zilla 
Parishad and District Collector. The 
Union Government and State Government 
both participate in this administration.
5.1 The District Collector : 
The District Collector is the head of 
the district administration. He is appointed 
by the State Government. He has to 
perform many functions from collecting 
agricultural tax to maintaining law and 
order in the district. We can see what 
these functions are from the chart  
given below.
5. District Administration
Our teachers will 
be able to tell us ! 
My Didi says she 
wants to become a 
District Collector.
The newspapers 
always mention the 
District Collector in 
the news.
We learnt about 
the Zilla Parishad, but 
there was no mention of 
the District collector?
Do you know ?
5.1 The District Collector
5.2 The Chief of the District Police 
5.3 District Courts
District Collector
Agriculture Law and Order Election Officer Disaster Management
To collect 
agricultural tax
Establish peace in 
the district
To ensure smooth 
conduct of elections
To take quick decisions 
during times of disaster 
and prevent or minimise 
the damage
To implement 
laws relating to 
agriculture
To maintain social 
harmony
To take necessary 
decisions related to 
the electoral  process.
To give orders to the 
disaster management 
units / cells.
To provide relief 
in case of drought 
and scarcity of  
fodder
To restrict 
unlawful 
assembly, impose 
curfew if required
To update the 
voters’ lists
To rehabilitate /  those 
affected by a disaster
Why is it important to maintain social harmony ?
The differences of opinion, disputes and conflicts in the society must be resolved 
by peaceful means. However, when this does not happen it gives rise to tensions. 
If this leads to violent incidents, it disturbs social harmony. It acts as an obstacle 
to our progress. Public property is damaged. The District Collector makes efforts 
to prevent such occurrences but it is the duty of the citizens also to help maintain 
social harmony.
Page 2


77
Do such questions occur to you, too? 
The Zilla Parishad is a part of the rural 
local government system i.e. the 
Panchayati Raj system. But in 
Maharashtra, the administration of the 
district is shared by both the Zilla 
Parishad and District Collector. The 
Union Government and State Government 
both participate in this administration.
5.1 The District Collector : 
The District Collector is the head of 
the district administration. He is appointed 
by the State Government. He has to 
perform many functions from collecting 
agricultural tax to maintaining law and 
order in the district. We can see what 
these functions are from the chart  
given below.
5. District Administration
Our teachers will 
be able to tell us ! 
My Didi says she 
wants to become a 
District Collector.
The newspapers 
always mention the 
District Collector in 
the news.
We learnt about 
the Zilla Parishad, but 
there was no mention of 
the District collector?
Do you know ?
5.1 The District Collector
5.2 The Chief of the District Police 
5.3 District Courts
District Collector
Agriculture Law and Order Election Officer Disaster Management
To collect 
agricultural tax
Establish peace in 
the district
To ensure smooth 
conduct of elections
To take quick decisions 
during times of disaster 
and prevent or minimise 
the damage
To implement 
laws relating to 
agriculture
To maintain social 
harmony
To take necessary 
decisions related to 
the electoral  process.
To give orders to the 
disaster management 
units / cells.
To provide relief 
in case of drought 
and scarcity of  
fodder
To restrict 
unlawful 
assembly, impose 
curfew if required
To update the 
voters’ lists
To rehabilitate /  those 
affected by a disaster
Why is it important to maintain social harmony ?
The differences of opinion, disputes and conflicts in the society must be resolved 
by peaceful means. However, when this does not happen it gives rise to tensions. 
If this leads to violent incidents, it disturbs social harmony. It acts as an obstacle 
to our progress. Public property is damaged. The District Collector makes efforts 
to prevent such occurrences but it is the duty of the citizens also to help maintain 
social harmony.
78
Tahsildar : There is a Tahsildar for 
every taluka or tehsil. As a Judicial 
Officer, he gives judgements to resolve 
conflicts at the local level. The Tahsildar 
has the responsibility of maintaining peace 
and order in the taluka.
5.2 The Chief of the District Police
In Maharashtra, there is a 
Superintendent of Police at every district 
headquarters. He is the chief Police Officer 
of the district. He helps the District 
Collector to maintain peace and order in 
the district. In the city, the Police 
Commissioner has the responsibility of 
maintaining law and order.
The Superintendent of Police inspecting 
a Police unit
A court in session
District Administration
District Collector Superintendent
of Police
Deputy District Deputy Superintendent
Collector  of Police
Tahsildar Police Inspector 
Talathi 
Police Patil Police Sub Inspector
5.3 District Courts
The Courts at the district level have 
to perform the function of resolving 
disputes, delivering judgments and 
ensuring that conflicts are resolved at the 
earliest.
The Constitution of India has 
established an independent judiciary. At 
the apex of that system is  the Supreme 
Court of India. Below this are the High 
Courts, and below them, the lower courts. 
These include District Courts, Taluka 
Courts and Revenue Courts.
Page 3


77
Do such questions occur to you, too? 
The Zilla Parishad is a part of the rural 
local government system i.e. the 
Panchayati Raj system. But in 
Maharashtra, the administration of the 
district is shared by both the Zilla 
Parishad and District Collector. The 
Union Government and State Government 
both participate in this administration.
5.1 The District Collector : 
The District Collector is the head of 
the district administration. He is appointed 
by the State Government. He has to 
perform many functions from collecting 
agricultural tax to maintaining law and 
order in the district. We can see what 
these functions are from the chart  
given below.
5. District Administration
Our teachers will 
be able to tell us ! 
My Didi says she 
wants to become a 
District Collector.
The newspapers 
always mention the 
District Collector in 
the news.
We learnt about 
the Zilla Parishad, but 
there was no mention of 
the District collector?
Do you know ?
5.1 The District Collector
5.2 The Chief of the District Police 
5.3 District Courts
District Collector
Agriculture Law and Order Election Officer Disaster Management
To collect 
agricultural tax
Establish peace in 
the district
To ensure smooth 
conduct of elections
To take quick decisions 
during times of disaster 
and prevent or minimise 
the damage
To implement 
laws relating to 
agriculture
To maintain social 
harmony
To take necessary 
decisions related to 
the electoral  process.
To give orders to the 
disaster management 
units / cells.
To provide relief 
in case of drought 
and scarcity of  
fodder
To restrict 
unlawful 
assembly, impose 
curfew if required
To update the 
voters’ lists
To rehabilitate /  those 
affected by a disaster
Why is it important to maintain social harmony ?
The differences of opinion, disputes and conflicts in the society must be resolved 
by peaceful means. However, when this does not happen it gives rise to tensions. 
If this leads to violent incidents, it disturbs social harmony. It acts as an obstacle 
to our progress. Public property is damaged. The District Collector makes efforts 
to prevent such occurrences but it is the duty of the citizens also to help maintain 
social harmony.
78
Tahsildar : There is a Tahsildar for 
every taluka or tehsil. As a Judicial 
Officer, he gives judgements to resolve 
conflicts at the local level. The Tahsildar 
has the responsibility of maintaining peace 
and order in the taluka.
5.2 The Chief of the District Police
In Maharashtra, there is a 
Superintendent of Police at every district 
headquarters. He is the chief Police Officer 
of the district. He helps the District 
Collector to maintain peace and order in 
the district. In the city, the Police 
Commissioner has the responsibility of 
maintaining law and order.
The Superintendent of Police inspecting 
a Police unit
A court in session
District Administration
District Collector Superintendent
of Police
Deputy District Deputy Superintendent
Collector  of Police
Tahsildar Police Inspector 
Talathi 
Police Patil Police Sub Inspector
5.3 District Courts
The Courts at the district level have 
to perform the function of resolving 
disputes, delivering judgments and 
ensuring that conflicts are resolved at the 
earliest.
The Constitution of India has 
established an independent judiciary. At 
the apex of that system is  the Supreme 
Court of India. Below this are the High 
Courts, and below them, the lower courts. 
These include District Courts, Taluka 
Courts and Revenue Courts.
79
The Court at the district level is 
known as the District Court. The district 
court has a chief District Judge and some 
other Judges. Their main function is to 
hear the various cases in the district and 
deliver the final judgment. One can 
appeal against the judgment of the taluka 
court in the District Court.
Sessions Judge
(for criminal cases)
Civil Judge
(for civil cases)
District Court
Magistrate 
1st grade
Magistrate 
2nd grade
Always remember...
It is important to remain alert during 
a time of crisis. To face a disaster one 
needs the help of people as well as 
different systems and organizations. In 
order to be able to contact them urgently, 
one should display the contact numbers 
of the police, fire brigade, hospitals, 
blood banks at a prominent place in the 
house. Tell your friends also to do  
the same.
In Maharashtra, many officers 
have made serious attempts to bring 
about reforms in the administration. 
Their experiments have helped to 
improve the services  provided to the 
citizens. This has helped the citizens 
to form a favourable opinion about 
the administration. As a result their 
support to the administration and 
their participation in it has improved.
(a) Lakhina Pattern : In order
to make the administration efficient 
and to increase the quality of public 
services available to the citizens, Shri 
Anilkumar Lakhina brought about 
many reforms when he was District 
Collector of Ahmadnagar District. 
These are known as the ‘Lakhina 
Pattern’. Standardization of work 
procedures, stating rules in  simple 
language which could be understood 
by the people, etc. were the 
administrative changes he introduced. 
He also started the ‘Single Window’ 
system, so that jobs that people came 
to do could be completed under one 
roof.
(b) Dalvi Pattern : The
administrative reforms implemented 
Do you know ?
Disaster Management
Sometimes, we may have to face a 
calamity. It could be a natural disaster 
like floods, fire, a cloudburst, cyclone, 
earthquake, landslide or problems like 
riots, bomb blasts, breaking of a dam, 
epidemics, etc. These disasters lead to 
loss of human lives and displacement of 
people beside tremendous financial loss.
Therefore, the issues of rehabilitation 
become important. ‘Disaster Management’ 
is a process which enables one to face 
a disaster in a scientific and organized 
manner. The entire machinery of a 
district is involved in this process. 
Advances in technology make it possible 
for us to get prior information about 
several kinds of disasters. For example, 
a system which can predict and warn us 
of floods or storms has been developed.  
These help us to be better prepared to 
face the disaster.
Page 4


77
Do such questions occur to you, too? 
The Zilla Parishad is a part of the rural 
local government system i.e. the 
Panchayati Raj system. But in 
Maharashtra, the administration of the 
district is shared by both the Zilla 
Parishad and District Collector. The 
Union Government and State Government 
both participate in this administration.
5.1 The District Collector : 
The District Collector is the head of 
the district administration. He is appointed 
by the State Government. He has to 
perform many functions from collecting 
agricultural tax to maintaining law and 
order in the district. We can see what 
these functions are from the chart  
given below.
5. District Administration
Our teachers will 
be able to tell us ! 
My Didi says she 
wants to become a 
District Collector.
The newspapers 
always mention the 
District Collector in 
the news.
We learnt about 
the Zilla Parishad, but 
there was no mention of 
the District collector?
Do you know ?
5.1 The District Collector
5.2 The Chief of the District Police 
5.3 District Courts
District Collector
Agriculture Law and Order Election Officer Disaster Management
To collect 
agricultural tax
Establish peace in 
the district
To ensure smooth 
conduct of elections
To take quick decisions 
during times of disaster 
and prevent or minimise 
the damage
To implement 
laws relating to 
agriculture
To maintain social 
harmony
To take necessary 
decisions related to 
the electoral  process.
To give orders to the 
disaster management 
units / cells.
To provide relief 
in case of drought 
and scarcity of  
fodder
To restrict 
unlawful 
assembly, impose 
curfew if required
To update the 
voters’ lists
To rehabilitate /  those 
affected by a disaster
Why is it important to maintain social harmony ?
The differences of opinion, disputes and conflicts in the society must be resolved 
by peaceful means. However, when this does not happen it gives rise to tensions. 
If this leads to violent incidents, it disturbs social harmony. It acts as an obstacle 
to our progress. Public property is damaged. The District Collector makes efforts 
to prevent such occurrences but it is the duty of the citizens also to help maintain 
social harmony.
78
Tahsildar : There is a Tahsildar for 
every taluka or tehsil. As a Judicial 
Officer, he gives judgements to resolve 
conflicts at the local level. The Tahsildar 
has the responsibility of maintaining peace 
and order in the taluka.
5.2 The Chief of the District Police
In Maharashtra, there is a 
Superintendent of Police at every district 
headquarters. He is the chief Police Officer 
of the district. He helps the District 
Collector to maintain peace and order in 
the district. In the city, the Police 
Commissioner has the responsibility of 
maintaining law and order.
The Superintendent of Police inspecting 
a Police unit
A court in session
District Administration
District Collector Superintendent
of Police
Deputy District Deputy Superintendent
Collector  of Police
Tahsildar Police Inspector 
Talathi 
Police Patil Police Sub Inspector
5.3 District Courts
The Courts at the district level have 
to perform the function of resolving 
disputes, delivering judgments and 
ensuring that conflicts are resolved at the 
earliest.
The Constitution of India has 
established an independent judiciary. At 
the apex of that system is  the Supreme 
Court of India. Below this are the High 
Courts, and below them, the lower courts. 
These include District Courts, Taluka 
Courts and Revenue Courts.
79
The Court at the district level is 
known as the District Court. The district 
court has a chief District Judge and some 
other Judges. Their main function is to 
hear the various cases in the district and 
deliver the final judgment. One can 
appeal against the judgment of the taluka 
court in the District Court.
Sessions Judge
(for criminal cases)
Civil Judge
(for civil cases)
District Court
Magistrate 
1st grade
Magistrate 
2nd grade
Always remember...
It is important to remain alert during 
a time of crisis. To face a disaster one 
needs the help of people as well as 
different systems and organizations. In 
order to be able to contact them urgently, 
one should display the contact numbers 
of the police, fire brigade, hospitals, 
blood banks at a prominent place in the 
house. Tell your friends also to do  
the same.
In Maharashtra, many officers 
have made serious attempts to bring 
about reforms in the administration. 
Their experiments have helped to 
improve the services  provided to the 
citizens. This has helped the citizens 
to form a favourable opinion about 
the administration. As a result their 
support to the administration and 
their participation in it has improved.
(a) Lakhina Pattern : In order
to make the administration efficient 
and to increase the quality of public 
services available to the citizens, Shri 
Anilkumar Lakhina brought about 
many reforms when he was District 
Collector of Ahmadnagar District. 
These are known as the ‘Lakhina 
Pattern’. Standardization of work 
procedures, stating rules in  simple 
language which could be understood 
by the people, etc. were the 
administrative changes he introduced. 
He also started the ‘Single Window’ 
system, so that jobs that people came 
to do could be completed under one 
roof.
(b) Dalvi Pattern : The
administrative reforms implemented 
Do you know ?
Disaster Management
Sometimes, we may have to face a 
calamity. It could be a natural disaster 
like floods, fire, a cloudburst, cyclone, 
earthquake, landslide or problems like 
riots, bomb blasts, breaking of a dam, 
epidemics, etc. These disasters lead to 
loss of human lives and displacement of 
people beside tremendous financial loss.
Therefore, the issues of rehabilitation 
become important. ‘Disaster Management’ 
is a process which enables one to face 
a disaster in a scientific and organized 
manner. The entire machinery of a 
district is involved in this process. 
Advances in technology make it possible 
for us to get prior information about 
several kinds of disasters. For example, 
a system which can predict and warn us 
of floods or storms has been developed.  
These help us to be better prepared to 
face the disaster.
80
by Shri Chandrakant Dalvi when he 
was District Collector of Pune District, 
are known as the ‘Dalvi Pattern’. The 
objective of the reform was to speed up 
the decision making by ensuring that 
files were not allowed to stack up and 
that they were dealt with on the same 
day that they were received. This 
pattern is also know as ‘Zero Pendancy 
Pattern’. It helped in bringing  efficiency 
and speed into administrative work.
(c) Chahande Pattern : When
Dr Sanjay Chahande was the Divisional 
Commissioner of Nashik he implemented 
certain reforms which are now known 
as the ‘Chahande Pattern’. In order to 
reduce the gap between the people 
and the administration, to increase the 
accountability of the administration 
towards the people and to prioritize 
the development work through people’s 
pariticipation, he implemented the 
‘Gramastha Din’ (Villagers’ Day) 
scheme. This is the appointed day 
when the administrative officials and 
staff visit a village and establish a 
dialogue with the people to understand 
their problems and help to solve them.   
Exercise
1. Answer in one sentence.
(1) Who heads the District Administration ?
(2) What is the responsibility of the
Tahsildar ?
(3) Which court is at the apex of the
judiciary ?
(4) Which disasters can we be forewarned
about ?
2. Match the following.
Group A Group  B
(a) District (1) Taluka
Collector Magistrate
(b) District Court (2) Maintaining
law and order   
(c) Tahsildar (3) Resolving
disputes
3. Discuss the following issues.
(1) Disaster Management
(2) Functions of the District Collector
4. Which of the following positions would
you like to be in, and why ?
(1) District Collector
(2) Chief of the District Police
(3) Judge
Activities
(1) Visit the police station nearest to you
and obtain information about the work
that is done there.
(2) Make a chart of the different disasters
showing what precautions are to be
taken and important phone numbers.
Display the chart in your class.
(3) Send New Year greetings to the District
Collector, Chief of the District Police
and the District Judge.
* * *