Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.t5.62

c4.t5.62

Revenue from land was the chief contribution to the income of the state. Each state or dominion was divided, as we shall see, into three political or administrative units, *viz.*, *gāma* *nigama* and *jana-pada*.⁶ The general administration of the state was carried on, as will appear, on the lines of a perfectly decentralised state working on the 'devolution of powers.' So, as regards revenue administration the system seems to have been like this : As a rule the local official or officials of villages and towns and districts who carried on the civil, judicial and military administration, were also entrusted with the work of collecting the revenue. The central government may however maintain a separate department in this connection, and appoint and despatch from time to time officials for direct collection of the revenue or for co-operating with the local authorities.