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U.P. Lower Sub. (Spl) (Pre) 2008

Mauryan Bureaucracy

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Who of the following was associated with the collection of revenue in Mauryan Mantriparishad?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept The Mauryan state was a fiscal heavy-weight with a centralized bureaucracy dedicated to taxing every possible economic activity.

Explanation As per Kautilya's Arthashastra, the 'Samaharta' was the Collector-General responsible for preparing the budget and collecting taxes from various sources like mines, forests, and trade.

Logical Breakup
Samaharta (A): The chief of the revenue department (Modern-day Finance Minister role).
Sannidhata: The Treasurer or head of the royal exchequer (often confused with Samaharta).
Antapala (C): Governor of the frontiers.

Active Recall

Question

What was the difference between Samaharta and Sannidhata?

Answer

Samaharta was responsible for revenue collection and budgeting, while Sannidhata was the custodian of the collected treasury and stores.

Core Insight

The role of Samaharta illustrates the sophisticated financial auditing and accounting systems utilized by the Mauryan central government.

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