How the State Government Works? | General Knowledge Encyclopedia - Class 8 PDF Download

Introduction

India's status as the world's largest democracy necessitates a well-structured framework with appropriate norms and regulations for administrators to avoid complete disorganization. The Indian government operates with two branches: the central government and state governments. In this chapter, we will focus on understanding the functioning of the state government.

State Government

• State governments play a crucial role as the governing bodies of a country's subdivisions and operate alongside the national government in a federal system of governance. In India, the state governments function as levels of government below the national government. There are a total of 28 state governments in the country, each presiding over one of the fifty-one jurisdictions.
• Every state government is headed by a governor and a chief minister, who work in tandem to administer the state. The Chief Minister holds the position of the head of the council of ministers, leading the executive functions at the state level. Together, they play significant roles in managing the affairs and governance of their respective states.

State Governments’ Roles and Responsibilities

State governments have their own ministries to ensure the smooth functioning of their respective states. They have control over various sectors such as education, agriculture, public health, sanitation, hospitals, and other agencies.

• Internal Security: State governments are responsible for maintaining internal security and law and order within their states. This is carried out by the state police.
• Education: The state's education department is in charge of providing a public education system, managing schools and colleges, hiring teachers, and supporting underprivileged students.
• Agriculture: State governments offer financial assistance to farmers, funding for improved agricultural practices, disease control, and disaster relief in cases of floods or droughts.
• Finances: The state legislature holds authority over the state's financial matters, including authorizing expenditures, taxes, and borrowing by the state government. It can create money bills and oversee taxes on entertainment, wealth, and sales.
• Reservation of Bills: The state governor can reserve any bill for the President's consideration.
• Transportation: State governments operate public transportation systems such as trains, trams, buses, ferries, etc., in cities and villages within the state.
• Water Supply: Providing drinking water to cities and towns and irrigation for farmers is the responsibility of state governments.
• State Budgets: State governments create budgets and have the power to allocate funds to various entities, including the Zila Parishad, corporations, and other agencies within the state.

Governor

• The Governor serves as the state’s constitutionally mandated head of state.
• The Central Government nominates them to ensure that the State Government operates in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Duties of the Governor

The governor’s main tasks include the following:

• As the state’s chief executive officer, he oversees the executive branch’s duties
• Each January, the General Assembly receives a report on the state’s situation
• Make a legislative recommendation to the General Assembly
• Examine measures that will become law if the governor signs it. If a bill is vetoed, it is sent back to the General Assembly for reconsideration
• Make executive orders on issues that affect the state
• In addition, he has the power to issue reprieves, commutations, and pardons

Legislative assembly

The State Legislative Assembly, also known as Vidhan Sabha or Saasana Sabha, is a legislative body present in each of India's states and some union territories. It is comprised of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) who are elected directly by the voters in single-member districts. These MLAs serve for a term of five years before the next elections take place.

Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)

• The people of each constituency elect one representative, who subsequently becomes a member of the Legislative Assembly
• In India’s democratic system, individuals run for office under the banners of several political parties

Role of MLA 

An MLA may have up to four unique roles:

• Legislators must comprehend the spirit of current laws, develop new laws, and then support or oppose their implementation
• A Member may represent constituents’ issues, express opinions, or intervene and help solve problems
• An MLA is also a party member. In this role, they may help organise and execute House strategy, support decisions, and build subject knowledge
• An MLA may be a Cabinet Minister or an Opposition Critic

Government

• It refers to several government departments and the many ministers that are in charge of them
• The Chief Minister is in charge of everything
• MLAs are elected to serve as members of the legislative assembly, responsible for forming the government. As a result, some MLAs have two responsibilities: one as an MLA and another as a state representative

Formation of Government

• A political party with MLAs representing more than half of the total number of seats in a state is considered to be ruling in that state
• The governing party is the political party that gets the majority of votes in a certain election
• All of the other members are referred to as the opposition
• Following the polls, the MLAs belonging to the governing party will nominate their leader, who will then take over as the Chief Minister of the state of Rajasthan
• The Chief Minister then appoints additional individuals to the position of minister
• Following the elections, the state governor is responsible for appointing the Chief Minister and other cabinet members
• The Chief Minister and other ministers are responsible for overseeing the operations of different government departments and agencies. They each have their workspace
• Individuals benefit from the government’s activities through numerous agencies such as the Public Works Department, Agriculture Department, and several health departments
• Coalition: The governing party may not always be a single party but rather a coalition of parties to achieve victory. This is referred to as a coalition

Accountability of Government through Legislative Assembly

• Through debates: During public debate, MLAs have the opportunity to voice their thoughts, ask questions regarding the topic, and make ideas about what the government should do to address the issue
• The Chief Minister and other ministers are responsible for making decisions and overseeing the administration of the government. But those choices are being made, and the lawmakers of the legislative assembly must authorise them before they can be implemented

Conclusion

In a democratic system of government, the people hold primary power, and they elect MLAs to represent them in the Legislative Assembly. The political party that secures the majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly forms the government, and some of its members are nominated as ministers. Each minister is assigned to oversee a specific department within the government.
Before any action or policy is implemented, it must be authorized by the members of the Legislative Assembly. This ensures that the decisions taken by the government align with the will and interests of the people, as represented by their elected representatives in the Assembly. The Legislative Assembly plays a crucial role in overseeing and approving the work done by the government's various departments.