DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68025#0105
ROYAL COMMISSION UPON DECENTRALIZATION.
99
16829. Do they submit their suggestions or remarks
to you ?—No, they are submitted to the President of
the School Committee, and if the President likes to
consult the Chairman, he does so.
16830. Are there any dispensaries in your munici-
pality '■—Yes. They are supported from municipal
funds and by subscriptions.
16831. Is the management in the hands of the
Medical Department ?—Yes.
16832. You are also a member of the District Board ?
—Yes, for six years. I was nominated by Government.
16833. Do you find that you have lost the confidence
of your countrymen in consequence of that nomina-
tion ?—No.
16834. Have you any sub-committees on the District
Board ?—Yes, there is a Finance Committee and an
Education Committee. The Finance Committee checks
the accounts only.
16835. Who prepares the budget?—The Vice-
Chairman. It is not placed before the Finance
Committee. It is passed by the District Board.
16836. Would it be a good thing if it was placed
before the Finance Committee to be checked and
revised before coming before the full Board ?—Yes.
16837. You think that village communities should
be generally invested with powers with regard to
schools and village affairs—by “ village communities ”
do you mean the head panchayat and other members ?
—Yes.
16838. When those village committees are formed,
would you refer to them local affairs with regard to
revenue, police, sanitation and education ?—Yes.
16839. What revenue duties would you delegate to
them ?—The collection of the chaukidari tax.
16840. And with regard to sanitation and education ?
—Only that they should look after roads and tanks
and keep the village in order. The schools within the
village should be supervised by them.
16841. (zlfr. Hlchen*.') Would you suggest that a
Collector ought to continue in a place after he has
been there for three years ?—No, that is not imperative,
but I should not allow him to remain more than five
years, because if he were an unpopular man the people
would wish him to go away.
16842. Supposing he was not unpopular, and was an
able and efficient officer, should he not then stay longer
than five years ?—I think after five years he would
cease to take any interest in a place.
16843. Do your duties as municipal Chairman take
up much of your time ?—Yes ; about two hours a day.
16844. Would there be any difficulty in most towns
in finding a non-official prepared to give up that
amount of time ?—No.
16845. It has been stated from time to time that
although municipalities have nominally a good deal of
power, yet, in practice, they are rather dominated by
the Collector—what do you say with regard to that ?
—I do not find that to be the case at all.
16846. You do not find, for example, that the
Collector sends you orders that you must spend more
money on this matter or that ?—No.
16847. He gives you advice, but he does not give
you instructions ?—Yes.
16848. Do you feel that you are always entitled to
consider his advice on its merits, and reject it or take
it as you please ?—Yes.
16849. Is it possible to delegate more work from the
District Boards to the Local Boards?—Yes, I think
so, at least as regards roads and education.
16850. Would you say that a Local Board has very
little power at present ?—Yes, very little.
16851. Is there much interest taken in their work ?
—No, I do not think there is because they have so
little power.
16852. Is it worth while to try to build up local
feeling by strengthening the power of Local Boards ?
—Yes.
©
16853. Wonld you be prepared to make them fixed
financial grants?—There is a proposal that three-
fourths of their income should be given them, and I
agree with that.
3263
16854. {Mr. Meyer.) Do you say that the Collectors
do not make sufficient use of their powers in the way
of interviewing natives, zamindars and others ?—They
travel about their districts when the zamindars do see
them, but other people are not allowed to do so.
16855. Is not the district organisation capable of
improvement, and is there not too much concentration
of Deputy Collectors and other people at headquarters ?
—Yes, also, I think the districts are sometimes too big.
16856. There are a number of Deputy Collectors at
headquarters ; might it not bring the Government
more in touch with the people if those Deputy
Collectors were given sub-divisional charges instead ?
—Yes, but the Deputy Collectors have to do Collectors’
work also.
16857. Is not the headquarters sub-division at
present under the direct charge of the District
Magistrate ?—Yes.
16858. Might not a special officer be placed in
charge ?—I do not think there is any necessity for
that.
16859. You have spoken about delegation of certain
powers to village communities ; do you refer to the
village groups that are made into chaukidari unions ?
—Yes.
16860. In your part of the country there is no real
village community, but only these artificial groups?
—Yes.
16861. You have a number of large zamindars ?—
Yes.
16862. Would it be possible to invest a zamindar
with some authority to try small civil and criminal
cases ?—Some people who live in towns are now
appointed as Honorary Magistrates, but the educated
classes seldom remain in a village all the year round.
16863. Do you mean that the zamindars are
absentees ?—They do not live in the villages ; they
live more in the towns.
16864. If a zamindar does not reside on his estate
in the country, has he some one there to represent
him ?—Yes.
16865. Would it be possible to give those gentlemen
small powers with regard to civil matters ?—Yes, I
think so, but not in criminal matters.
1G866. Would you prefer to vest those powers in a
zamindar himself who is an Honorary Magistrate ?
—Yes.
16867. Would you give the Commissioner larger
powers with regard to Public Works ?—Yes, I omitted
to mention that.
16868. Have you, as Chairman, power to dismiss or
fine or reduce your municipal clerks ?—Yes, and then
they can appeal to the Commissioners at a meeting.
16869. Can they go on to the Divisional Com-
missioner ?—Under the present law they can if their
pay is Rs. 20 or upwards.
16870. Have you any men under your municipality
lent by Government, such as Hospital Assistants and
people of that kind ?—Yes, I have got an Assistant
Surgeon.
16871. In order to punish them have you to get the
sanction of the Government ?—Yes, we have no autho-
rity to punish them. We can only complain and get
them removed.
16872. Do-you support the primary schools by
grants-in-aid or do you maintain them yourselves ?—
By grants-in-aid.
16873. Who settles which schools are to be aided
and which not ?—The Commissioners settle that, but
of course they consult the inspector of schools.
16874. Does he tell you which schools ought to be
aided ?—He advises. We are not bound to accept his
advice.
16875. Have you any reason to complain'that the
inspector of schools has interfered unduly ?—No.
16876. Does he interfere with your budget allot-
ment ?—No.
16877. With regard to District Boards, are you in
favour of any change in the present scheme of elec-
tion ?—I do not think I would interfere with the
present system.
N 2
Raja Ranajit
Sinha
Bahadur.
2 Jan., 1908.
99
16829. Do they submit their suggestions or remarks
to you ?—No, they are submitted to the President of
the School Committee, and if the President likes to
consult the Chairman, he does so.
16830. Are there any dispensaries in your munici-
pality '■—Yes. They are supported from municipal
funds and by subscriptions.
16831. Is the management in the hands of the
Medical Department ?—Yes.
16832. You are also a member of the District Board ?
—Yes, for six years. I was nominated by Government.
16833. Do you find that you have lost the confidence
of your countrymen in consequence of that nomina-
tion ?—No.
16834. Have you any sub-committees on the District
Board ?—Yes, there is a Finance Committee and an
Education Committee. The Finance Committee checks
the accounts only.
16835. Who prepares the budget?—The Vice-
Chairman. It is not placed before the Finance
Committee. It is passed by the District Board.
16836. Would it be a good thing if it was placed
before the Finance Committee to be checked and
revised before coming before the full Board ?—Yes.
16837. You think that village communities should
be generally invested with powers with regard to
schools and village affairs—by “ village communities ”
do you mean the head panchayat and other members ?
—Yes.
16838. When those village committees are formed,
would you refer to them local affairs with regard to
revenue, police, sanitation and education ?—Yes.
16839. What revenue duties would you delegate to
them ?—The collection of the chaukidari tax.
16840. And with regard to sanitation and education ?
—Only that they should look after roads and tanks
and keep the village in order. The schools within the
village should be supervised by them.
16841. (zlfr. Hlchen*.') Would you suggest that a
Collector ought to continue in a place after he has
been there for three years ?—No, that is not imperative,
but I should not allow him to remain more than five
years, because if he were an unpopular man the people
would wish him to go away.
16842. Supposing he was not unpopular, and was an
able and efficient officer, should he not then stay longer
than five years ?—I think after five years he would
cease to take any interest in a place.
16843. Do your duties as municipal Chairman take
up much of your time ?—Yes ; about two hours a day.
16844. Would there be any difficulty in most towns
in finding a non-official prepared to give up that
amount of time ?—No.
16845. It has been stated from time to time that
although municipalities have nominally a good deal of
power, yet, in practice, they are rather dominated by
the Collector—what do you say with regard to that ?
—I do not find that to be the case at all.
16846. You do not find, for example, that the
Collector sends you orders that you must spend more
money on this matter or that ?—No.
16847. He gives you advice, but he does not give
you instructions ?—Yes.
16848. Do you feel that you are always entitled to
consider his advice on its merits, and reject it or take
it as you please ?—Yes.
16849. Is it possible to delegate more work from the
District Boards to the Local Boards?—Yes, I think
so, at least as regards roads and education.
16850. Would you say that a Local Board has very
little power at present ?—Yes, very little.
16851. Is there much interest taken in their work ?
—No, I do not think there is because they have so
little power.
16852. Is it worth while to try to build up local
feeling by strengthening the power of Local Boards ?
—Yes.
©
16853. Wonld you be prepared to make them fixed
financial grants?—There is a proposal that three-
fourths of their income should be given them, and I
agree with that.
3263
16854. {Mr. Meyer.) Do you say that the Collectors
do not make sufficient use of their powers in the way
of interviewing natives, zamindars and others ?—They
travel about their districts when the zamindars do see
them, but other people are not allowed to do so.
16855. Is not the district organisation capable of
improvement, and is there not too much concentration
of Deputy Collectors and other people at headquarters ?
—Yes, also, I think the districts are sometimes too big.
16856. There are a number of Deputy Collectors at
headquarters ; might it not bring the Government
more in touch with the people if those Deputy
Collectors were given sub-divisional charges instead ?
—Yes, but the Deputy Collectors have to do Collectors’
work also.
16857. Is not the headquarters sub-division at
present under the direct charge of the District
Magistrate ?—Yes.
16858. Might not a special officer be placed in
charge ?—I do not think there is any necessity for
that.
16859. You have spoken about delegation of certain
powers to village communities ; do you refer to the
village groups that are made into chaukidari unions ?
—Yes.
16860. In your part of the country there is no real
village community, but only these artificial groups?
—Yes.
16861. You have a number of large zamindars ?—
Yes.
16862. Would it be possible to invest a zamindar
with some authority to try small civil and criminal
cases ?—Some people who live in towns are now
appointed as Honorary Magistrates, but the educated
classes seldom remain in a village all the year round.
16863. Do you mean that the zamindars are
absentees ?—They do not live in the villages ; they
live more in the towns.
16864. If a zamindar does not reside on his estate
in the country, has he some one there to represent
him ?—Yes.
16865. Would it be possible to give those gentlemen
small powers with regard to civil matters ?—Yes, I
think so, but not in criminal matters.
1G866. Would you prefer to vest those powers in a
zamindar himself who is an Honorary Magistrate ?
—Yes.
16867. Would you give the Commissioner larger
powers with regard to Public Works ?—Yes, I omitted
to mention that.
16868. Have you, as Chairman, power to dismiss or
fine or reduce your municipal clerks ?—Yes, and then
they can appeal to the Commissioners at a meeting.
16869. Can they go on to the Divisional Com-
missioner ?—Under the present law they can if their
pay is Rs. 20 or upwards.
16870. Have you any men under your municipality
lent by Government, such as Hospital Assistants and
people of that kind ?—Yes, I have got an Assistant
Surgeon.
16871. In order to punish them have you to get the
sanction of the Government ?—Yes, we have no autho-
rity to punish them. We can only complain and get
them removed.
16872. Do-you support the primary schools by
grants-in-aid or do you maintain them yourselves ?—
By grants-in-aid.
16873. Who settles which schools are to be aided
and which not ?—The Commissioners settle that, but
of course they consult the inspector of schools.
16874. Does he tell you which schools ought to be
aided ?—He advises. We are not bound to accept his
advice.
16875. Have you any reason to complain'that the
inspector of schools has interfered unduly ?—No.
16876. Does he interfere with your budget allot-
ment ?—No.
16877. With regard to District Boards, are you in
favour of any change in the present scheme of elec-
tion ?—I do not think I would interfere with the
present system.
N 2
Raja Ranajit
Sinha
Bahadur.
2 Jan., 1908.