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 Revenue Department is one of the oldest administrative Department s of the Government of Assam having been in existence even before 1874. The Secretariat then consisted of only three Departments 1) General Department 20 Judicial Department and 3) Revenue Department with just one Secretary reporting to Chief Commissioner. The Revenue Department at that time was dealing with diverse subjects such as forest, immigration and labour, Finance, Commerce, economic products like silk, indigo tea, excise and registration, survey and settlement, agriculture, veterinary, irrigation and canals. Cooperative credit, fisheries, weights and measures, archaeology and Museum, Courts of Wards, Mines and Minerals, famine and flood relief, debt cancellation Board etc. Later depending on the growth of activities several new Departments were created like Finance in 1903 Agriculture in 1907, forest in 1937 etc. The main functions of Revenue Department are 1) keeping a watch on collection of land revenue ,2) formulation of land allotment/ settlement policy, 3)resettlement operation, 4) control of natural calamity relief fund, 5)demarcation of international and inter-state boundaries, 6)acquisition of land for public purpoese,7) creation of Revenue Circles, sub-circle, mouza etc. 8) administration of land reforms Acts 9) preparation and control of Departmental budgets etc. .Revenue Department functions through its four branches namely Land Revenue branch, Settlement branch. General branch and Reforms branch. A research cell is also attached to Reforms branch. Each branch is allocated separate functions. Under the State level, there are the institutions of Divisional Commissionership to control and supervise the functioning of Deputy Commissioners which was first set up in 1880. At present there are four divisions :
The jurisdictions of these four revenue divisions are :
There are two directorates under Revenue Department namely, Directorate of Land Records & Surveys (DLRS) and Directorate of Land Requisition, Acquisitions and Reforms (DLRAR). This Directorate was originally established as Directorate of Land Records and Agriculture. Mr Henry Zouch Darrah,I.C.S was the first DLR who took over on 9th February 1887. In 1905 the Assam Survey party was established and placed under Director of Land Records. This Directorate has mainly seven branches 1)Agricultural statistics, 2)State Waste Land Board 3)Resettlement 4)Land Records 5)Inspection 6)Staff Training and 7)Survey and Demarcation. The head quarter of this Directorate is located at Roopnagar Guwahati. Directorate of Land Requisition Acquisition and Reforms: This Directorate was established in 1968 to look after matters relating to land requisition, acquisition and reforms. Primarily the Directorate is at present engaged in the implementation of the Assam Fxation of Ceiling on land Holding Act 1956 (as amended), The Assam State Acquisition of Zamindaries Act 1951, The Assam Gramdan Act, 1961, The Assam Bhoodan Act 1965, and MNP Hoise Site Schme. The Head quarter of the Directorate is located at RoopNagar Guwahati. These two units are the unique creation of the Britishs and units of general administration. Land revenue administration in the district level is entrusted to the Deputy Commissioners. All the powers relating to the administration of land within his jurisdiction rests with him as per the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation and such another Acts and rules framed thereunder. Sub-Divisional officers are also entrusted with and delegated to similar functions for the smooth functioning of the sub divisional level revenue administration.There are altogether 24 districts and 49 subdivisions. Revenue Circles are the smallest administrative units where the basic functions of the revenue administrations are done. It is at this level the land records are updated according to field position and then Sadar records at the disposal of the Deputy Commissioners and Sub- divisional officers are also corrected .Apart from this the Circle officer is also responsible for conducting cadastral survey in non-cadastral areas, submit annual douls (Settlement abstract) to the Deputy Commissioners and SDOs , submit encroachment proposal, and inspect collection of revenue position of Mouzas. Total 24 districts, 49 subdivisions. (Titabor & Gahpur newly created SDs, Pragjyotishpur SD abolished)
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