The main difference between state and union territory is that states have their own governments while union territories are governed by the Central government.
Specifically, states and union territories are two administrative divisions seen in the Republic of India. There are twenty-eight states and eight union territories, comprising thirty-six entities. These states and union territories are further divided into smaller administrative divisions.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is a State
– Definition, Administration
2. What is a Union Territory
– Definition, Administration
3. What is the Difference Between State and Union Territory
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Areas Covered
Indian Government, State, Union Territory
What is a State
A state is a territory that counts as an organized political community under one government. In the Republic of India, a state is an independent administrative unit which as its own elected government. It has its own legislative assembly, elected representatives, and a chief minister for administrative functions. Moreover, the state government handles the basic administrative functions like healthcare, security, governance, revenue generation, etc.
In fact, there are twenty-eight states in India; each of them varies in size, demography, culture, language, history, and so on.
List of States
- Andhra Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Assam
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Goa
- Gujarat
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Kerala
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Odisha
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Sikkim
- Tamil Nadu
- Telangana
- Tripura
- Uttar Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- West Bengal
Rajasthan is the largest state in India in terms of the area it covers, while Uttar Pradesh is the largest state in terms of population. Meanwhile, Goa is the smallest state in terms of the area it covers while Sikkim is the smallest state in terms of population.
What is a Union Territory
A union territory, on the other hand, is a federal territory governed directly by the Central Government of India. There are eight union territories:
- Delhi
- Chandigarh
- Lakshadweep
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
- Puducherry
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Ladakh
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Jammu and Kashmir is the largest union territory in size, while Lakshadweep is the smallest. In terms of population, Delhi is the largest union territory, while Lakshadweep is the smallest. Generally, the president has the power to appoint an administrator or a lieutenant governor for each union territory.
Furthermore, these union territories can be categorized into two types: union territory with legislature and union territory without legislature. Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir are the three territories with their own elected legislatures and governments. They also have representation in the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house of the Indian Parliament. Therefore, they have partial state-like functions. Other union territories do not have elected legislatures and are directly governed by the Central Government. However, the Parliament can pass a law to amend the constitution to provide a legislature with elected Members and for a union territory, as it has done for three territories.
Difference Between State and Union Territory
Definition
A state is an independent administrative unit which as its own elected government while a union territory is a federal territory governed directly by the Central Government of India.
Size
A state is usually much larger in size than a union territory.
Number
Moreover, there are 28 states and 8 union territories.
Administration
A state has its own legislative assembly, elected representatives, and a chief minister. In contrast, a union territory governed directly by the Central Government of India (with the exception of Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir).
Head
The governor is the constitutional head of a state while the president is the executive head of a union territory.
Appointment of Administrators
The chief minister of states is elected by the people while the main administrator is appointed by the president.
Conclusion
In brief, states and union territories are two administrative divisions in the Republic of India. The main difference between state and union territory is that states have their own governments while union territories do not. In fact, it is the Central government that governs union territories.
Reference:
1. “States and Union Territories of India.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 May 2020, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “States and Capitals of India, 2012” By Nathan Hughes Hamilton (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
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