Beyond a Colonial Relic

Modern-day critique of Collector's role overlooks its contemporary significance as a pivotal administrative institution ensuring governance, coordination, and crisis management at the district level in India

- RAGHAV CHANDRA

A senior journalist, in one of her recent columns, has gushed effusively about the Trump-Musk DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) initiative and propounded the need for similar measures in India. She has mentioned several proposals, some of which appear quite logical at first glance. Particularly enticing is her suggestion regarding district governance:"Can we please abolish the post of the Collector? These unelected despots not only have the power to control all development in their districts, but they also live in grander style than we can afford. Why does this colonial post continue to exist 75 years after the colonial masters have departed?"

The impression one gets is that the journalist has not had the privilege of directly observing the district Collector in recent times. The Collector of today is a far cry from his pre-independence or even post-independence (until the mid-seventies) predecessors. This institution no longer operates in a top-down, autocratic manner, performing the colonial-era task of collecting lagaan (bhoo-rajaswa) on agricultural land. Nor does it retain any colonial-era trappings and symbols.