This article throws light upon the six major roles of development commissioner in community project administration. The roles are: 1. Liaison with the Union Ministries 2. Field Guidance and Control 3. To Run Headquarter Administration 4. Adviser of Political Executive and Assistant of State Legislature 5. To Cement Public Relations 6. A Coordinator at State Level.
Role # 1. Liaison with the Union Ministries:
The ministry of community development and the department of planning send their schemes, instructions, and clarifications to the Development Commissioner for implementation at the state level. He may seek guidance and support from Union headquarters regarding a specific question. He meets Union officials in the annual conferences to discuss the common issues.
Role # 2. Field Guidance and Control:
Being the head of the Panchayati Raj department, he is to take steps on behalf of the state government to constitute these bodies, advance them loans and grants-in-aid, settle jurisdictional disputes, frame rules and regulations and deal with problems of local bodies. He is assisted by a Joint Development Commissioner to perform these duties.
Role # 3. To Run Headquarter Administration:
He allocates duties to the officers at headquarter level, exercises general supervision and deals with administrative matters such as granting of leave, writing of annual confidential report of superior officers and performing other duties of a Head of the Department.
Role # 4. Adviser of Political Executive and Assistant of State Legislature:
He is the adviser of the minister concerned. He prepares notes and memorandum for cabinet meetings and legislative sessions. He suggests new legislation and also amendments in the existing legislation pertaining to Panchayati Raj. He prepares answers to the legislative questions and assists the M.L.As and legislative committees in their findings.
Role # 5. To Cement Public Relations:
He is to cultivate cordial relations with the leaders of public opinion through periodical briefings, news releases, talks and sympathetic hearing. He is to demonstrate “genuine interest and responsiveness of the department to creative suggestions and legitimate grievances.”
Role # 6. A Coordinator at State Level:
He is the chairman of the various coordinating committees which bring about co-ordination amongst the various departments dealing with operational policy. When a question of operational policy is to be decided, it is referred to the coordination committee, which is presided over by the Development Commissioner.
Since the duties of the Development Commissioner are fairly extensile, a very senior officer generally of the rank of the Chief Secretary or Additional Chief Secretary holds the post.