Functioning of the local administration under the Mughals:

(i) The provinces or subas were divided into Sarkars. The Sarkars were further divided into Parganas. The village was the smallest unit of administration.

(ii) The Faujdar and the Amalguzar were two important functionaries at the level of Sarkar. Faujdar was appointed by the imperial order. Sometimes within a Sarkar a number of Faujdars existed. At times, their jurisdiction spread over two Sarkars even if these belonged to two different subas. Faujdari was an administrative division whereas Sarkar was a territorial and revenue division. The primary duty of the Faujdar was to safeguard the life and property of the residents of the areas under his jurisdiction. He was to take care of law and order problems in his areas and assist in the timely collection of revenue whenever force was required. 

(iii) The amalguzar or amil was the revenue collector. His duty was to assess and supervise the revenue collection. He was expected to increase the land under cultivation and induce the peasants to pay revenue willingly. All accounts were to be maintained by him. He was also responsible for sending the daily receipt and expenditure report to the provincial Diwan.

(iv) The Shiqdar was the executive officer at the level of Pargana. He assisted the amils in the task of revenue collection. The animals looked after the revenue collection at the Pargana level. The quanungo kept all the records of land in the pargana. The Kotwals who were in charge of law and order were appointed mainly in towns by the imperial government. He was to maintain a register for keeping records of people coming and going out of the towns.

(v) Muqaddam was the village head man and Patwari looked after the village revenue records. The services of the zamindars were utilised for the maintenance of law and order in their areas as well as in the collection of revenue. The forts were placed under an officer called Qiladar. He was incharge of the general administration of the fort and the areas assigned in Jagir to him.

(vi) The port administration was independent of the provincial authority. The governor of the port was called Mutasaddi who was directly appointed by the emperor. The Mutasaddi collected taxes on merchandise and maintained a custom-house. He also supervised the mint house at the port.