Understanding the government...4

“God, aunty, what is all these?! Who are these commissioners? Who are these directors? What is remission? Why the hell govt has to first collect the money from citizens and give it back in form of hospitals, roads etc? Can’t the citizens do their work on their own? Who are these subordinate revenue officials?! Why are they subordinate always?! Why 3 more police stations? Is there more crime?”

Aunty laughed! “Don’t worry, I will explain all! If you still find it difficult, we can turn on the time machine and travel to simpler days, say the age of Guptas or the age of Ashoka the great, where they had fewer departments and people to manage!”

“Ok, ok, explain me, let me see”

“Let’s start from why government has to collect tax and spend it again on them! Long years ago, when the institution of the government started, it was started only for protecting a community of people. The king was the head of the government and he maintained an army of soldiers who will fight and protect the community. To maintain that army, the king was allowed to impose a tax on the people of that community.

Later, the people started calling the king and army for solving their internal problems. So, the kind used to hear both the sides, and give his decision, of judgment. The army was used to ensure that the judgment was obeyed.

When the kingdom become huge, involving lakhs of population, the king had no other option but to appoint learned persons to manage different parts of his kingdom, called as districts. These officers had to be given a small portion of the army. These small armies soon become the police, who did more of internal work than fighting the war. The head of the armies in the districts were called as ‘superintendents’.

But, soon, the kings realized that the major problem they faced during peacetime was not just disputes, but, famines, caused due to the failure of monsoon. The second problem was epidemics, where people died in thousands and lakhs in absence of medical facilities. That also affected the strength of the army.

So, the kings wanted to do three things, one: construct dams, and dig canals so that, even when there is failure of monsoon, crops can be grown. Second: build a good health system to avoid epidemics. Three: construct good markets, where the agricultural produce can be traded, thus easy for govt to get their tax.

All these required huge funds, and hence they started collected more tax. Thus, you have the governments collecting tax from people and spending it back on them!”

“Oops! I understand. So, the public gives the right to the government to do public works on its behalf?”

“Yes Raju, you are right!”

“Now, tell me who these commissioners are? And why are they called so?”

“Raju, the king wanted to appoint senior officials who will be in-charge for particular work. This process is called ‘commissioning a person’ for a work. For example, the king ‘commissions’ an officer, into his army, to fight on his behalf! 

The King also ‘commissions’ persons, for say, irrigation, collection of revenue etc. These officials who are responsible to the king for a particular work, are called as ‘commissioners’. 

Thus you will have ‘commissioner of revenue’, ‘commissioner for health’, ‘commissioner for irrigation’ etc.”

“Oh now I understand! So, police commissioner of Bangalore means, he is in charge for the all the activities connected with policing in Bangalore city?”

“Yes, you are right! Likewise, Revenue commissioner means, he is in charge for the collection of revenue for the state!”

“Good! Then who are these deputy commissioners?! They are deputy to these commissioners?”

“Yes, when the kingdom is huge, in order to administer it well, the govt appointed ‘deputy commissioners’ at each geographical area called as ‘districts’.”

“Wait aunty! Then each district should have many deputy commissioners? One for revenue; one for health; one for irrigation etc?”

“You are right Raju! Each district has one officer for each department. But, in-order to avoid confusion, they are not called as deputy commissioners, but they are called as, ‘district health officer’, ‘district irrigation officer’ etc. The district revenue officer is the only officer called as ‘deputy commissioner’. And generally he coordinates with all the other district level officers.

But, in the British areas, the ‘deputy commissioner’ was called as ‘Collector’, as he collected the tax. Even till date the same nomenclature continues!”

“Hmm, interesting Aunty! Now, who are these directors? What do they direct?”

“Raju, directors are those senior officials, who are just below the commissioners, and who are responsible for directing the officials under them in different districts to do the work as per government directions. They also monitor their progress and take corrective actions. They are also called as ‘Head of the departments’. These directors control the district level officials in day to day work. For example, ‘director of health’ is responsible for controlling all the ‘district health officials’. He will be normally a senior doctor, while, the ‘Commissioner’ who is involved in policy making, can be a generalist, like an IAS officer.”

“So, the government gets best of the brains, one specialist and one generalist?!”

“Yes, handling lakhs and crores of people is not easy! They can’t afford to make mistakes!”

“I understand aunty! Now, tell me what answers do I give them? What should be the remission amount, meaning how much tax I can afford to reduce in those 6 districts?”

“That is a tricky question Raju! You have to first see your revenue. You have to check the budget. You have to see what the planned expenditure of your government is for this year and next. If you don’t collect enough tax, then your plans will be hit!

At the same time, if you do not give tax rebate/remission, people will be unable to pay, and will be unhappy, and thus you will be unpopular! Even press may write things against you that you are insensitive and not bothered about the problems of your own citizens!”

“Oh yes, aunty! How do I do that? I must know the budget then! It means, there will be one commissioner for budget who will give information about budget?”

“You are right! The ‘commissioner for finance’ can tell you about how much tax you can afford to lose, and still you can do your planned works, or if you can stop doing one or two public works you have planned!”

“But, how will I know the works I have planned?”

“All is in the budget! The entire income and expenditure of the government!”

“Budget! I will call minister to get me a copy?”

“Yes, call him, and also ask him to explain it to you! If you still have doubts, send him out, and I will explain to you. Meanwhile, let’s have our lunch fast!”

(To be continued)