Introduction
State and Union Territory are part of our country. A country is always commenced with a proper system to identify all its rules and regulations. The state is a centralized institution that implies laws over a territory-described population. There is a difference between the head and the people in that population. States have their governments. Union Territory is a type of administrative division in the Republic of India. India is a country that is a union of 28 states and eight union territories. The Constitution of India came into force in 1949 for the division of the nation. For better functioning and management, different states, along with union territories, were formed.
State vs. Union Territory
India is a country with the largest democracy, where the power of control is in the form of state and central governments, hence comprises a set of rules and regulations. A state is a political formation that occupies a definite region along with the power of authority of government to exercise control over the people of that particular region. Union Territory is a small administrative unit administered and controlled by the Central Government. Union Territories receive more funds from the central government for development, and the States have the burden of paying tax revenue.
Difference Between State and Union Territory in Tabular Form
| Basis of Comparison | State | Union Territory |
| Size | The States are much larger than Union Territories. | Union Territories are much smaller in size in comparison to the state. |
| Head of Department | The governor is the head of State. | The President of India is the head of the Union Territory. |
| Powers | States have autonomous powers. | Union Territories do not have autonomous powers. |
| Relationship with Central Government | It has a constitutional relationship with the central government. | It has a united relationship with the central government. |
| Election | People have the power to select the Chief Minister of State. | President appoints the administrator of Union Territory. |
What is a State?
State means a politically organized number of persons who live in a divided and definite territory with their government; also, the borders of states are divided and identified by other states, too. Legislative and executive powers are divided between state and central government in a controlled manner. A nation is divided into distinctive states to direct its control.
India has both central and state governments with democratic powers. These conditions are further divided into districts. It has the authority to make agreements with other states and make decisions about their condition. The state is extended into a larger space through borders.
History of State
In the years between 1947 and 1950, there were princely states that formed an Indian Union. So, it was a revolutionary period for India to change it for a better future.
- On the 26th of January in the year 1950, the new Constitution of India came into force to make it a democratic republic. The agenda of the new system was the ‘union of states’ as it was distinguished into three types of states, which were as follows.
- Part A states were under the power of the Governor and State legislatures; nine states were under it.
- Part B states that one person will be selected by the President called ‘RajPramukh’, and there were eight states under it.
- Part C states that the President of India appointed one chief commissioner.
- In 1956, the States Reorganization Act took place, in which the new states formed according to the linguistic lines.
Special Considerations
- The state has its full-time residents.
- It has several definite districts.
- It imposes rules and regulations for the safety of people residing there.
- It has its borders to avoid the problem of recognition.
- It has the power of control over the activities of the state.
States
- Andhra Pradesh.
- Bihar.
- Goa.
- Punjab.
- Karnataka.
- West Bengal.
- Maharashtra.
- Mizoram.
- Tripura.
- Haryana.
- Madhya Pradesh.
- Nagaland.
- Himachal Pradesh.
- Odisha.
- Tamil Nadu.
- Rajasthan.
- Kerala.
- Uttar Pradesh.
- Sikkim.
- Assam.
- Chhattisgarh.
- Jharkhand.
- Manipur
- Meghalaya.
- Telangana.
- Uttrakhand.
- Delhi.
- Jammu and Kashmir.
- Arunachal Pradesh.
- Sikkim.
Types of States
Authoritarian Governments
This type of government is differentiated by how much power he holds and how much he has control over it.
Oligarchic Governments
It is a form of government in which power is given solely to a small part of society based on wealth, status, family, military, etc.
Democratic Governments
In this type of government, every person has the right and power to select the leader to lead the country and to take its hold.
Control of States
The power of creating and dissolving new states is only in the hands of the Parliament of India. Parliament is the council of ministers of various departments. They have power through a constitution. They can change laws and provinces to protect the states. India may consist of 50 states in the future as they form a few more states. Different Ministers work for different departments to help Chief Ministers.
What is Union Territory?
Union Territory is a small unit that is controlled directly by the Central Government of India. It is also a part of the nation. It has no autonomous powers because all decisions are taken by the Central Government of the country, but they have their special rights along with status due to the formation of the constitution. In the future, Union Territories can change in terms of their administration.
Because of Union Territories, many issues have been resolved as both central and state governments have their domains and territories of legislation. During the constitution phase, Union Territory was created because some small areas could not be classified as states and were not a whole part of the nation.
History Of Union Territory
In 1949, the constitution of India came into force.
- There was only Andaman and Nicobar, which was in the power of the Central government.
- In the year 1956, after the State Reorganisation Act, six union Territories were formed.
- In the year 1970, three new territories were formed.
- In August 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed by Parliament.
Administration of Union Territory
The President of the country appoints an administrator or lieutenant governor to manage the union territory. Union Territory works very differently based on government, structure, and function. Every Union Territory is different from each other. Directly or indirectly, all the powers are in the hands of the Union Government.
Names of Union Territory.
- Andaman and Nicobar.
- Chandigarh.
- Dadar and Nagar Haveli.
- Daman and Diu.
- Jammu and Kashmir.
- Lakshadweep.
- Puducherry.
- Delhi.
Types of Union Territory
Union Territory with Legislature
With the elected legislature and government and proper control, only two Union Territories come under these, which are as follows.
- Delhi.
- Puducherry.
Union Territory without Legislature
All the remaining 6 union territories are directly controlled by the Central Government. They don’t have a separate government.
Tax Revenue
Another benefit of Union Territory is that there is no system of tax revenue. Some union territories receive large amounts of funds from the Union Government based on per capita income and backwardness based on the comparison of states. The Union Government supports Union Territories in every aspect to make sure they grow in every aspect.
Main Differences Between States and Union Territory in Points
- A state is a community of people that are politically organized under one sovereign government that has the power to frame its own rules and regulations and no control from outside. A Union Territory is a small administrative unit of the nation that is managed by the Union Government.
- India is a nation with 28 states and eight union territories.
- States have their self-regulating powers through which they can frame their own rules. Union Territories don’t have their own self-regulating powers; the Union Government frames their laws.
- States are very much larger. Union Territory is very small in size.
- State Governments have a Governor, Chief Minister, and set of ministers to function in the state. Union Territories like Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Daman, and Diu, along with Dadar and Nagar Haveli, have their Administrators, and the rest of the Union Territories have Lieutenant Governors.
- States have a system of paying tax revenue, but Union Territories are not compelled to pay tax revenues.
Conclusion
State and Union Territories are blocks of the nation. Indian Constitution has decided on these formats for better and clearer functioning. Both states and union territories have their governments, cultures, and demographics. States have Chief Ministers as their executive head; on the other hand, Lieutenant Governors are appointed to manage Union Territory. States are further classified into districts. States and Union Territories are divided based on borders, which divides one state from another. In Ancient times, our country was ruled by the Indian Emperor. The Constitution of India was framed in the year of 1949 with proper parliament systems.
