Question

The officer of the central government, who was in charge of the collection of revenue was?
A) Sannidhata or High Treasurer
B) Karmika or Clerk
C) Samaharta or Collector General
D) Adhyaksha or Superintendent of Departments

Answer 1

Hint:
- Presently, Indian Revenue Service officers are responsible for the collection of revenue which lies in the Central Civil Services of the executive branch of the Union Government.
- It has 2 branches: the Indian Revenue Service for the collection of Income Tax and Indian Revenue Service for custom & indirect taxes, controlled by the CBDT and the CBIC.
- The question is asking the same thing but during the Mauryan Empire instead of today's time.

Complete answer:
The Mauryan Empire was a historical power in the Indian Sub-continent which started in Magadha and was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE. The King was the centre of administration and he used to appoint the ministers and top officials.

Option A) Sannidhata or High Treasurer - The Sannidhata was the chief treasurer of the Maurya Dynasty and he worked alongside the Samartha in the revenue department of the empire. This chief treasurer was not incharge of revenue collection and hence, is the incorrect option.
Option B) Karmika or Clerk - The Karmika was an official who was incharge of keeping accounts and records of what was happening in the administration department of the Empire. Thus, this option is incorrect.
Option C) Samartha or Collector General - Samaharta or the Collector General was in charge of the collection of revenue for the whole kingdom. Sources of revenue mentioned in the Arthasastra, includes various properties, taxes and fines, goods and products, roads, forests and royal and precious items. This is the correct answer.
Option D) Adhyaksha or Superintendent of Departments - The Adhyaksha were the officers who looked after and organized the working of the different departments that they were in charge of. Hence, this option is also incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is Option C. Samaharta or Collector General.

Note:
- The Mauryan Empire was divided into four administrative divisions with the name of the four provincial capitals, Tosali, Ujjain, Suvarnagiri, and Taxila.
- Sannidhata or the Treasurer was responsible for the storage of royal goods, and any kind of state income.
- Adhyakshas or Superintendent of various departments were the ones who looked after their designated departments.