Governance in Mauryan Empire:

• The area around Pataliputra was under the direct control of the emperor.
• This meant that officials were appointed to collect taxes from farmers, herders, crafts persons and traders, who lived in villages and towns in the area.
• There were other areas or provinces. Each of these was ruled from a provincial capital such as Taxila or Ujjain.

Mauryas tried to control roads and rivers, which were important for transport, and to collect whatever resources were available as tax and tribute.