All divisional commissioners’ offices in Assam finally closed down

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government had recently taken a policy decision to re-designate the post of ‘Deputy Commissioner’ as ‘District Commissioner’ and abolished all offices of divisional commissioners for administrative expediency and convenience. Accordingly, all offices of divisional commissioners have closed down and the employees of these offices have joined the office of the District Commissioner nearest to them.

There were five divisional commissioners’ offices in Assam. The Lower Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office was in Guwahati, the Upper Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office in Jorhat, the North Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office in Tezpur, the Central Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office in Nagaon, and the Barak Valley Divisional Commissioner’s office in Silchar.

The main function of the divisional commissioner’s office was supervision of the works of the offices of the Deputy Commissioner under it and to ensure streamlining of the administrative works and expeditious execution of schemes and programmes. Out of the five divisional commissioners’ offices, except the Central Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office in Nagaon, the other four offices were functioning in a full-fledged manner.

Around 100 employees were working in the four divisional commissioners’ offices (except the Central Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office in Nagaon). All the employees have joined the office of the District Commissioner nearest to them and they will continue to work there for the remaining years of their service tenure. They will draw their salaries from the respective DC’s office. The employees of the Lower Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office have joined the office of the District Commissioner (DC) of Kamrup (metro). Those of the Upper Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office have joined the Jorhat DC’s office, those of the North Assam Divisional Commissioner’s office have joined the Sonitpur DC’s office, and the employees of the Barak Valley Divisional Commissioner’s office have joined the Cachar DC’s office. The property and assets of the divisional commissioners’ offices will now belong to the respective DC’s office.

The decision to close down the offices of the divisional commissioners was taken because the Chief Minister had said that Deputy Commissioners would function like the ‘chief secretary’ in their respective districts and focus on development parameters. The move to abolish the divisional commissioners’ offices is expected to bring the administration closer to the people by providing adequate power and authority to the District Commissioners.

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