Deconcentration
Topic: State, Government and Governance: Organs, Levels and the Citizen · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Deconcentration is the weakest form of decentralisation, which means moving work away from the centre to lower levels. Under deconcentration, the Union or state government sends work out to its own field offices, such as district officials. Decision-making power does not pass to elected local bodies. The officials still answer to the government above them, not to local voters. The forms of decentralisation, from weakest to strongest, are deconcentration, then delegation, then devolution.
Example
District officials appointed by the state government carry out state schemes in a district. The work happens locally, but the decisions are still made in the state capital. Presenting this as "decentralisation" is a common criticism of Indian local governance.
Don't confuse with
- Devolution: elected local bodies such as panchayats and municipalities get their own powers and funds. Real control moves to them.
- Delegation: work is handed to semi-independent agencies, not just to the government's own field offices.