Administrative Structure

	At the District Level
	Tips for People who are New to Punjab
	Calendar of Important Events

The state is divided into three revenue divisions and 20 districts. Each district is divided into sub-divisions and tehsils (for revenue purposes). The law and order administration follows the same pattern with three police divisions and police districts.

The level of administration below the district for revenue purposes is the circle, headed by a kanungo and, at the lowest level, a village or a few villages in charge of a patwari. For development administration, the basic unit is the block, while, in the case of the police, as elsewhere in the country, the basic unit is the police station or thana.

At the District Level
The Deputy Commissioner (called the collector or district magistrate in other states) is undoubtedly the kingpin of the administration. He combines the responsibility of coordinating the work of all government departments, revenue collection and maintenance of law and order. Next in importance of hierarchy is the senior superintendent of police in charge of the district. All departmental heads in the district are controlled and supervised directly and indirectly by the "DC sahib", whose powers are not derived so much from the formal authority he exercises (which is considerable) but from the fact that the state government reposes great confidence and immense informal authority in him.

From the point of view of entrepreneurs locating their industrial units in Punjab, the Deputy Commissioner is a Very Important Person. His views on location, acquisition of land, its price, matters relating to pollution control, and even industrial relations, problems are virtually the last word. As mentioned earlier, each district has a Grievance Committee, usually headed by a minister or the deputy commissioner. Issues relating to the functioning of industrial units and their impact on local society can and do figure in the meetings of these committees. It would be wise to be aware of its existence, membership and functioning.

Tips for People Who are New to Punjab
All offices of the Punjab government and most of its undertakings work a five-day week. The working hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a lunch break from 1.30 p.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to every Saturday and Sunday, Government offices are closed on all national holidays like Independence Day, Republic Day and also on local holidays. It is advisable to familiarize oneself with the list of local holidays, best done by getting a copy of the Punjab government’s official calendar, available with the government Public Relations Department. It is useful to note that when two or three weekdays are official holidays, little work may get transacted, because many government officials, particularly at junior ranks, take an additional day or two off, to make the entire week a vacation.

The names, addresses , residential and official telephone numbers of all important government offices and officials are listed in an official telephone directory issued by the government Public Relations Department.

Although all important policies and policy changes are announced by the government through the press, it is useful to consult the official gazette, which also contains details of policies and rules framed by the government, from time to time.

The state government has set up a number of committees in which businessmen are associated for their views on policies and implementation. These cover a vast range of subjects such as fixation of minimum wages of labour, incentives for industry and so on. Information regarding specific industries is available from the Industries Department or from the resident commissioner of the Punjab Government in New Delhi.

Calendar of Important Events of 2010