General duties of Circle Officers

The Circle officer plays a great role and is taken to be a pillar in the collection of revenue of the state. His basic function is to keep record with regard to agricultural land, waste land, vacant land, Government land and industrial development marked land and homestead land. His work helps the state to fix the rent of the land accordingly and the responsibility again comes on him for the collection of the same.

Every Circle Officer is responsible for the supervision of the revenue administration and the land records of every village in their circles. He from time to time in each year inspects every village in his respective jurisdiction.

The circle officer will discharge all the functions and duties of a khasmahal Officer under the provision of the Bihar Government Estates manual, 1941. In addition, he will discharge the functions and duties noted below.

1.       A circle officer may sanction mutation in respect of holdings with in his jurisdiction.

2.       He may sanction the sale of moveables, fruits and fallen branches up to a value of Rs 50 in each case.

3.       He should exercise effective supervision over the work of Karamcharis and Circle Inspectors, and also over his own office.

4.       He should ensure proper collection of rent and proper deposit of collection by the collecting staff according to the instructions of Government, and should also take particular care to see that the amount in the hands of collecting staff does not in any case exceed their security deposit including personal security.

5.       He will be responsible for the proper custody and deposit of the Government money.

6.       He will be responsible for the punctual submission of all reports and returns.

7.       He will also discharge such other duties and functions as are assigned to him in these instructions or in the instructions for the guidance of Karamcharis, or as may be assigned to him from time to time.

Tours and inspection

The circle officer should tour at least 120 days in a year, of which atleast 90 nights must be spent outside his headquarters. During such tours he should familiarize himself with the prevailing condition of each village in the circle and its people and problems and make a note of all matters of interest relating to each individual village in the village notebook for necessary action.

After collection season is over he deals with all the mutation and land encroachment cases in the camps at suitable centers.

The circle officer must be familiar with the relevant account rules in particular those contained in these inspections as well as in the instruction for the guidance of the karamcharis.