2. State Government - The Second Level

State Government runs the whole state of India.

What is State Government:

A State Government runs the entire state. It makes rules and decisions for things that affect life across towns, villages and cities in that state.

Every State has its own Government under the Indian Constitution.

It handles big issues that affect all districts in that state, like State Highway, Police, Agriculture & Electricity.

The state Government has 3 parts:

A. Legislature - the Law-makers

B. Executive - the people who run the state and implement laws.

C. Judiciary - Courts that interpret laws (High Court and lower courts)

In this section, we focus on the Legislature and Executive.

The Legislature

Making the Laws

Know about the group that makes laws in the state.

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The Executive

Executing the Laws

Know about the people who applies the laws in the state.

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A : The Legislature - has two types

The Legislature is the group that makes laws in the state. In India, Every state has a Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). Some big states also have a second called the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad).

Legislative Assembly - Vidhan Sabha

1. Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) - Lower House :

The Vidhan Sabha is the main law-making house of the state. Every state has one Legislative Assembly. It's called the Lower House.

Leaders :
How are they elected?

The state is divided into multiple divisions called Legislative Assembly Constituencies.

Each constituency has one MLA.

These boundaries are decided by an independent body called the Delimitation Commission.

MLAs: People in that constituency who are 18+ in Age and registered as voters will directly elect one MLA in their Constituency. MLAs take part in making state laws and approving the state budget.

Speaker & Deputy Speaker: The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by all MLAs in the Legislative Assembly.

Term: The term of MLAs, the Speaker, and the Deputy Speaker is 5 years.

Legislative Coucil - Vidhan Parishad

1. Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) - Upper House :

The Vidhan Parishad is only exists in 6 states in India (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh). It is the upper House of the Legislature. It's called the Upper House.

Leaders :
How are they elected?

MLCs: Common People do not directly elect them. They are elected by special groups (MLAS, Local Bodies, Teachers and Expert in different industries).

Chairman & Deputy Chairman: Elected by the MLCs from among themselves.

MLCs take part in making state laws and approving the state budget.

Term: The MLCs term is 6 years. And The Chairman & Deputy Chairman Term is 5 Years.

B : The Executive - The People who run the State.

The Executive implements the laws and manages daily administration.

The Executive - The Ministers

The Executive Leaders :

These are the leaders who hold the actual power and daily responsibility.

1. The Governor (The Constitutional Head) :
2. The Chief Minister (CM) (The Real Head) :
3. Council of Ministers :
4. Government Officers (Bureaucracy) :

Responsibilities

State governments have several responsibilities that aim to improve the lives of State citizens. Here are the key responsibilities at the state level.

State Government

State Government responsibilities are listed in the "State List" of the Constitution.

  • Law & Order: Police and prisons (courts are part of the separate Judiciary).
  • Agriculture: Helping farmers, irrigation projects, and land records.
  • Public Health: Running government hospitals and clinics.
  • Education: Managing State Boards (SSC), government schools, and colleges.
  • Transport: Running State Buses (RTC) and building State Highways.

Eligibility

State Governments have several Eligibilities that require to stand in Elections.

Eligibility: Who Can Become a Leader?

To contest in state elections, a person must generally be:

Must have these Eligibilities :

Citizen : A citizen of India.

Clean Record : Must not have certain criminal convictions or be legally disqualified.

Age Limits :

MLA : Minimum 25 Years.

MLC : Minimum 30 Years.

Governor : Minimum 35 Years.

CM (Chief Minister) :

Must be a MLA or MLC.

If not an MLA or MLC, must become one within six months of appointment

Salaries

State Governments have different Salaries in different stages of Leadership. Here are the most common Average Salaries ranges in state level.

State Government Leaders Salaries

NOTE: Salaries vary widely by state. These are approximate averages including allowances.

  • Governor: ₹3,50,000 per month (Fixed by Central Law).
  • Chief Minister: ₹1,50,000 - ₹4,00,000 per month (Varies by state).
  • MLA / MLC: ₹1,00,000 - ₹2,50,000 per month (Includes salary + constituency allowance).
Term :
  • Governor: 5 Years (appointed).
  • Chief Minister & MLA: 5 Years (elected).
  • MLCs: 6 Years. And One-third of members retire every 2 years.

Budget

State Governments get the Budget from several Sources. Here are the most common Sources.

Budget : Where Does the State Get Money?

The State Government handles huge amounts of money (Crores).

Income (Where money comes from):
  • 1. SGST (State Goods & Services Tax) : The tax we pay on things we buy.
  • 2. Excise Duty : Tax on Alcohol/Liquor (Major income for many states).
  • 3. Stamp Duty : Tax paid when buying land or houses (Registration).
  • 4. Tax on Petrol/Diesel : A large portion of fuel price goes to the State.
  • 5. Grants from Centre : The Central Government gives a share of national taxes to the state.
Expenditure (How it is spent):
  • 1. Salaries : Paying teachers, police, doctors, and government staff.
  • 2. Welfare Schemes : Pensions, free ration, farmer support (like Rythu Bandhu/PM-Kisan top-ups).
  • 3. Infrastructure : Building bridges, dams, and power plants.
Who Approves the Budget?
  • The Finance Minister of the State presents the budget in the Vidhan Sabha.
  • The MLAs discuss and vote to approve it.
  • The Governor gives final permission.

Judiciary is the part of the government that interprets laws and delivers justice in courts.

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