State Council of Ministers In India

India is named to be one amongst the democratic nations. In India, the government is elected by the citizens of the nation. Apart from the democratic nature, India’s government can be segmented into various levels. This instils the attributes of the federalism form of government.

However, India does not have a complete federal structure of government. It is known to be ‘Quasi-Federal’. According to this feature, India’s governance is divided into three tiers or levels. These are the Central, State and Local or Rural governments. An integral part of government in the state is the state council of ministers. This state council of ministers is prominent in carrying out various policies concerning the state. 

Currently, India has 28 states. It also has 8 union territories. While the 8 union territories are governed by the central government, the 28 states have their governments. Let us know who are state council ministers and their role in the state governments.

Know Who Are State Council Of Ministers

Similar to the structure of the central government in India, the state government also consists of the same components. Like the central government, every state government has a chief minister and a crucial body of ministry. This ministry is known as the state council of ministers.

The governor of each state will appoint the chief minister. The chief minister will then appoint the state council of ministers. The Constitution of India, Article 163, demands the state council of ministers to be an advisory body for the governor. 

Every state government will have this body of state council ministers to look after different affairs in the state. This includes state economy, education, income, agriculture, forestry, railways and others. Further, the state government has three pillars, another similar feature of the central government. These pillars are the legislature, executive and judiciary in the state.

The state government may have one or two houses, which are known as the legislative council and legislative assembly. Not all state council of ministers are elected to the legislative council. However, there is complete representation by them in the legislative assembly. With this, the entities as state council of ministers must comply with the required eligibility criteria.

The eligibility criteria to be in the state council of ministers are:

• The person must be an Indian
• He or She must pledge their allegiance to the Constitution of India
• He or She must be of 30 years of age (only for legislative council)
• He or She must be of 25 years of age (only for legislative assembly)

To be in the state council of ministers, the above eligibility must be fulfilled. One-third of the state council of ministers retires after a tenure of 2 years. 

There are various functions that are undertaken by the state council of ministers. Let us know and understand them in detail.

Function Of State Council Of Ministers

The state council of ministers performs various functions. These functions are mainly aimed to keep everything productive for the states. Below are the functions entitled to the state council of ministers. 

Policy Formation

The state council of ministers are focal entities to frame policies. They form policies and take in issues regarding health, economy, disease management, plantation, tourism and employment in the state. For this, the state council of ministers are divided into various fields to ensure the successful growth of every sector. 

Law And Order Of State

The state council of ministers holds the executive power. They ensure the complete passing of a law and its implementation too. Here, the governor is also a crucial figure in creating laws that are correct in terms of the Constitution of India. The state council of ministers also advises on such lawmaking and regulations.

Leading the State Legislature

In the state legislature, the state council of members present, explain and retaliate for the bills. Every year, the state council of ministers prepares its legislative agenda. Further, the bills that are voted on in the state legislature are drafted by the state council of ministers. 

Execution of Rules And Regulations by Central Government

The responsibility is vested on the state council of ministers to successfully implement the central government’s laws. The ministers and the entire state government implement its executive powers to do so. Further, the central government also holds the power to intervene in specific state matters.

These are some of the functions that the state council of ministers perform and are a crucial part of. The state council of ministers is the prime body for the successful introduction and implementation of laws plus policies.

Parting Notes

India is one of the largest democratic countries with diversities. Apart from the democratic form, the Indian government also has certain features of federalism. This is why India is also known as a Quasi Federal country. The government of India is divided into three segments. 

These levels are Central, State and Local or Rural. Every level has its own governance body. State governance is done by the state government. The state government includes the state council of ministers, a body responsible for various functions in the state. 

The state council of ministers is part of the state that legislates, executes and maintains policies and laws. They make the laws and look after their implementation. Further, each minister of the state council of ministers is allotted a specific field to look after. This is done to make sure that the overall growth of the state progresses well. 

There are certain eligibility criteria to be cleared by the candidates to be in their respective state council of members. Further, the state council of ministers are responsible to carry out various functions. These functions are only limited to the particular state. The functions of state council of ministers includes:

• Policy Formation
• Law and Order in State
• Leading the State Legislature
• Execution of Rules and Regulations by Central Government

Apart from this, the state council of ministers, along with the state government, become a medium of communication. They communicate between the central government and the locals of the states. Therefore, the entire state council of ministers has to look after the state and its optimum contribution to the country’s development.