Revenue Administration in India: A Case Study of Bihar

Land revenue administration has been and will continue to be one of the most important areas of public administration for a very long time to come. This is mainly because of the dependence of vast majority of the population on land for their livelihood. Land revenue administration does not include only ‘levy and collection’ of land revenue but it also extends to survey and settlement, land reforms, revenue loans, certificates, stamps, excise, etc. in the present study, the author has tried his best to present in a clearly analytical manner the pattern of revenue administration obtaining in the country as well as in the state of Bihar. The structure of revenue administration in Bihar embraces the Karmacharis at the bottom and the Government in the Revenue Department at the top. Its most important administrative levels are those of Circle Officer, District Collector, the Divisional Commissioner and the Board of Revenue at the State head-quarters. The study of Board of Revenue has remained almost untouched in this state. Thus a detailed study of its evolution, structure, powers and functions is called for to fill in the gap in the study of the revenue administration in the state. The author has made a commendable effort to undertake such a study in this book.