India is a vast country with many diversities. The problems of people in villages and small towns different from those living in cities. The government meets the needs and demands of people by dividing itself into three levels. This is called decentralization of power, wherein each level has its own area of functioning.

1. Grade – 7- Social Science
Civics- How the State
Government Works
By: Navya Rai
1Navya Rai

2. Introduction
● India is a
democratic
country which is
governed by three
levels
1. Local
2. State
3. Central
Central
Government
State
Government
Local Government
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3. Why there is a need for three levels of
Government?
India is a vast country with many diversities.
The problems of people in villages and small
towns different from those living in cities.
The government meets the needs and
demands of people by dividing itself into
three levels.
This is called decentralization of power,
wherein each level has its own area of
functioning.
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4. Levels of Government
National Government makes decisions on matters like
defence, issue of currency, foreign affairs, etc
State Government makes decisions related to the state
like agricultural policy of the state.
Local Government responsible for managing the affairs
of small towns and the villages.
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5. State Legislature in India
Like the Parliament
at the Union level,
each state has a state
legislature.
The state
Legislature is the
law making body in
the states.
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6. State Legislature in India
Bicameral Unicameral
Legislative Council
(Vidhan Parishad)
Legislative Assembly
(Vidhan Sabha)
•Bihar
•Uttar Pradesh
•Maharashtra
•Karnataka
•West Bengal
•Punjab
•Kerala
•Odisha
•Delhi
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7. Legislative Council
The Legislative
Council or the Vidhan
Parishad is the upper
house of the state
legislature.
The size of a state’s
Legislative Council
depends on the total
strength of its
Legislative Assembly.
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8. According to the
Constitution, size of a
state’s Legislative
Council cannot be more
than one-third of the
Legislative Assembly
and not less than 40.
The Legislative Council
is a partly nominated
partly elected body.
The Council is a
permanent body.
Members tenure is 6
years.
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9. Legislative Assembly
Legislative
Assembly(Vidhan sabha) is
the popularly elected house
of State Legislature.
Functions
Most important function is
law making.
Control over state’s finance.
State ministers answerable
to Legislative Assembly.
Has power on state list. 9

10. Legislative Assembly Debate
● All important matters are debated in
Legislative Assembly.
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11. Member of Legislative Assembly
The term of legislative assembly is five years.
Electors in a constituency casting vote to choose
their MLA.
Elected representative from each constituency
become a member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA).
These candidates belong to different political
parties.
The political party whose MLAs secure more than
half number in a state is majority party or ruling
party.
All the other members or parties form the
opposition. 11

12. What is a Constituency?
Every state is divided into small areas called
constituencies’ which is a covering one more
districts.
Each such constituencies’ has an elected
representative, who is a member of the
Legislative Assembly.
 It is the unicameral
legislature of the Indian state
of Gujarat.
 It is situated in the capital
Gandhinagar.
 It was first elected in 1962.
 Presently, there are
182 constituencies where
members are directly elected.
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14. State Functionaries
Governor – The
Nominal Head
Chief Minister – The
Real Head of the state
State Council of
Ministers- Key Advisors
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15. The governor
Constitutional head of the
state.
Appointed by the President
of the state.
He appoints the chief
minister and other members
of the council of ministers.
Every bill has to approved by
the Governor.
Has the power to declare
emergency.
Has the right to dissolve the
legislature.
Governor of Gujarat –
Acharya Devvrat
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16. Chief Minister
The Chief Minister is the
leader of the Legislative
Assembly of the State.
He selects the ministers in
the Council of Ministers.
He is the Main link between
the Governor and state
cabinet.
All important
announcement on behalf of
government made by him. B. S. Yediyurappa – Chief
Minister of Karnataka
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17. Functions of the Cabinet Ministers
All important executive decisions are taken in
the cabinet.
These decisions are binding on the entire
Council of Ministers.
Each department in the state government is
headed by Cabinet Minister.
One minister may be in charge of more than
one department.
Industry Agriculture Health
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18. Role of Political Parties
In democracy, political parties play an
important role.
Political parties bridge the gap between
people and government.
A political party is a group of people who
come together contest elections and hold
power in the government.
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19. Coalition Government
● When no single party is able to attain majority
in elections, group of political parties come
together and form a government. This is called
as coalition government. Examples:
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Then another coalition, Congress led United Progressive Alliances,
ruled India for two terms from 2004 to 2014 with Manmohan Singh as
PM.
The first successful coalition government in India which completed the
whole 5-year term was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National
Democratic Alliances with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM from 1999 to 2004.

20. Role of Opposition Parties
Opposition parties refer to elected political
parties, or representatives, who are not
members of ruling party.
Opposition party plays an important role in
highlighting the weaknesses of the
government.
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21. People’s Power
● In a democracy ultimate power lies with the
people.
● Ruling party cannot ignore demands of the
people.
● If government failed to deal with peoples
demands would lead to change of
government.
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22. Role of Media
Media plays an important role in
highlighting merits and demerits of a
government’s policies.
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23. Press Conference
● A large number of people from different
newspapers and TV channels along with
ministers and government officials meet up
for a conference.
● Ministers are expected to explain theirs
policies and actions.
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By: Navya Rai