Administrative Structure of Bihar: Districts, Sub-Divisions, Blocks, and Gram Panchayats
Districts of Bihar
The state of Bihar is administratively divided into 38 districts, each serving as a fundamental unit of governance. These districts are grouped under 9 divisions for efficient oversight. Every district is led by a District Magistrate (DM), commonly referred to as the District Collector, who oversees the comprehensive administration of their jurisdiction. The DM’s responsibilities encompass maintaining law and order, managing revenue collection, spearheading development projects, and ensuring the overall upkeep and welfare of the district.
District Magistrates
District Magistrates are senior officers drawn from two prestigious sources: the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) and the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Recruited through rigorous competitive examinations, they form the backbone of Bihar’s permanent executive within the state’s administrative framework. These officials blend local expertise (via BPSC) with national administrative standards (via IAS), ensuring robust governance across Bihar’s diverse regions. Beyond their core duties, DMs coordinate disaster management, implement government schemes, and act as the primary link between the state government and district-level operations.
Sub-Divisions
For administrative convenience, each district is further divided into smaller units known as sub-divisions. Bihar currently has 101 sub-divisions across its 38 districts. Each sub-division is headed by a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) or Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), who are either IAS officers or recruited through the State Public Service Commission (BPSC in Bihar’s case). As permanent executives within the administrative structure, SDOs/SDMs oversee the functioning of Circle Officers, participate in Panchayat Samiti meetings, and ensure the overall administration of their sub-division. They maintain vigilance over local governance and development activities.
Blocks
Sub-divisions are further segmented into blocks, which form the next tier of Bihar’s administrative hierarchy. Each block is managed by a team of officers, including the Block Development Officer (BDO), Circle Officer (CO), Block Animal Husbandry Officer (BAHO), and Block Welfare Officer (BWO). These officers, often recruited through the Bihar Public Service Commission and sometimes titled Deputy Collectors, undertake a range of developmental works. Their responsibilities include improving primary health and education facilities, managing rehabilitation efforts, promoting agricultural and animal welfare, and implementing wellness programs tailored to the block’s needs.
Gram Panchayats
The gram panchayat represents the smallest unit of India’s administrative structure, operating at the village level. It is responsible for various developmental activities within rural communities. Each gram panchayat is headed by a Sarpanch, an elected official chosen through local elections, whose term lasts five years. Other panchayat members are similarly elected, forming a non-permanent body. A single gram panchayat typically governs multiple villages, facilitating grassroots development and local governance.
Local Self Government in Bihar:
The local self-government system in India was introduced through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts, aiming to establish decentralized democratic governance. These institutions, created by state governments, have powers granted by the State Legislature. In Bihar, the Panchayati Raj system began in 1947, functioning in both rural and urban areas as per the state list. Significant contributions to this system came from the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) and Ashok Mehta Committee (1978). Bihar’s local governance is organized geographically and administratively into 9 divisions, 38 districts, 101 sub-divisions, and 534 blocks, with each block further divided into Gram Panchayats, ensuring administration reaches the grassroots level for economic and social justice.
Panchayati Raj System (Rural Self Government)
The Bihar Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad Act, 1961, implemented from 2nd October 1963, introduced a three-tier system: Gram Panchayat (village level), Panchayat Samiti (block level), and Zila Parishad (district level). Elections are conducted by the State Election Commission. In response to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act, 2006 was enacted to reinforce the system. Key features include 50% reservation for women, 16% for Scheduled Castes, 1% for Scheduled Tribes, and 20% for Extremely Backward Classes. Each Panchayat has a 5-year tenure, and the Gram Sabha must meet four times a year.
Three Tier Structure of Panchayati Raj System:
The Panchayati Raj system in Bihar operates through a three-tier structure consisting of the Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, and Zila Parishad at the district level. The elected heads of these bodies are known as Mukhiya, Pramukh, and Adhyaksha, respectively.
- Zila Parishad
- The Zila Parishad is the top tier of the three-level Panchayati Raj system in Bihar, with 38 councils across the state. It includes elected members (one per 50,000 population), Chairpersons of Panchayat Samitis, MPs, and MLAs from the district. Members serve a 5-year term and elect a President and Vice-President, with a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) handling administration. It meets at least once every three months. Its functions include managing agriculture, irrigation, roads, electrification, health, education, and poverty alleviation. Income comes from rural taxes, market fees, and land revenue, and the Finance Commission reviews its finances every five years.
- Panchayat Samiti
- The Panchayat Samiti, the second tier of Bihar’s Panchayati Raj system, operates at the block level, with one samiti per block, elected for a five-year term. Comprising members elected from constituencies within the block (one per ~5,000 population), it also includes State Legislative Assembly members from the block’s area, one-fifth of Gram Panchayat Sarpanchs (rotated annually via lots), and is led by an elected President, Vice-President, and a Chief Executive Officer. Meeting at least bimonthly, the samiti reviews Gram Panchayat annual plans, prepares budgets for Zila Parishad approval, and manages programs delegated by the Zila Parishad. Its primary income sources are state government grants-in-aid and loans.
- Gram Panchayat
- The Gram Panchayat, the lowest tier of Bihar’s three-tier Panchayati Raj system, is the smallest unit of elected local self-governance at the village level. Constituted in rural areas with a population of 7,000 or more, it comprises elected ward members (one per ~500 people, from 10-20 wards), a Mukhiya (head), an Up-Mukhiya (deputy), and a Secretary who may serve multiple panchayats. The Gram Sabha, a body of all electors, directs the executive Gram Panchayat, which manages drinking water, housing, electrification, village statistics, annual plans, budgets, and infrastructure like cattle sheds, ponds, parks, and garbage bins, while also regulating markets, fairs, and festivals.
The Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD) is a key regulatory body under the State Government, playing a vital role in capacity building and administrative training. It has established a team of master resource persons to train IT professionals and effectively implement the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project, aimed at digitizing and strengthening local governance through technology.
Urban Local Bodies in Bihar:
Urban local bodies in Bihar, operational since 1920, were formalized under the Bihar and Orissa Municipal Act of 1922, establishing Municipalities and Notified Area Committees. Effective from April 1, 1929, these evolved with the Patna Municipal Act of 1951, creating the Patna Municipal Corporation and reclassifying Municipalities as Municipal Councils (Nagar Parishads) and Notified Area Committees as Nagar Panchayats based on population and urbanization. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act mandated clear roles for these bodies, leading to the Bihar Municipal Act of 2007, which replaced prior laws and introduced municipal accounting manuals to manage finances. The Bihar government reserves 50% of seats for women, 20% for backward classes, and portions for SC/ST communities. Beyond Municipal Corporations, Councils, and Nagar Panchayats, townships and cantonment boards govern urban and semi-urban areas.
Three Tier Structure of Urban Local Bodies
List of Municipal Corporations in Bihar
| Municipal Corporation | District |
|---|---|
| Patna Municipal Corporation | Patna |
| Gaya Municipal Corporation | Gaya |
| Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation | Bhagalpur |
| Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation | Muzaffarpur |
| Munger Municipal Corporation | Munger |
| Purnea Municipal Corporation | Purnea |
| Darbhanga Municipal Corporation | Darbhanga |
| Bihar Sharif Municipal Corporation | Nalanda |
| Arrah Municipal Corporation | Bhojpur |
| Begusarai Municipal Corporation | Begusarai |
| Chhapra Municipal Corporation | Saran |
| Katihar Municipal Corporation | Katihar |
- Municipal Corporation
- Bihar has 12 Municipal Corporations (As per 2011 Census) governing cities with populations exceeding two lakh, ranging from five to ten lakh or more. Muzaffarpur was the first to receive a Municipal Corporation, followed by Patna Municipal Corporation, established on August 5, 1952. These corporations are funded through taxes, rents, and government grants. Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation is reserved for Backward Classes, while Gaya Municipal Corporation is reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Each city is divided into wards, with larger cities like Patna, Begusarai, and Gaya having 45-75 wards to facilitate local governance.
- Municipal Council
- The Municipal Councils (Nagar Parishads) in Bihar manage the administration of small cities, towns, and semi-urban areas with populations ranging from 40,000 to 2,00,000. These areas are divided into 25 to 45 wards, and the council is headed by a Chairman, along with other elected members.
- Nagar Panchayats
- The Nagar Panchayats operate in regions that are transitioning from rural to urban. These areas typically have a population between 12,000 to 40,000 and are divided into 10 to 25 wards. The Nagar Panchayat is led by a Chairman and ten elected members, chosen through general elections from each ward.
Urban Local Bodies in Bihar are headed by the Mayor (or Chairman), who is elected through general elections and presides over meetings while overseeing overall governance. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), appointed by the State Government, is the full-time executive responsible for administration, including supervision, budgeting, and implementing schemes. As per Article 243, there is reservation of seats for SCs, STs, and women in municipalities, with at least one-third of the seats reserved for women, including within SC/ST categories. The Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution outlines 18 functional responsibilities of urban local bodies, such as urban planning, land regulation, economic development, and infrastructure development like roads and bridges.