State Government
NCERT Solution
Question 1: Use the terms constituency and represent to explain who an MLA is and how is the person elected?
Answer: Since a constituency is a particular area from which all the voters living there choose their representatives, an MLA is the elected representative of the people of a particular constituency. Constituency is the area represented by a particular MLA.
A geographic area with suitable size of population is made a constituency. It can be a parliamentary constituentcy or a constituency of state assembly. People elect their representatives in order to elect MLAs or MPs. So, it can be said that an MLA or an MP represents a particular constituency.
Question 2: How did some MLAs become Ministers? Explain.
Answer: All MLAs may not become ministers. It is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to appoint a minister in his/her cabinet. The Chief Minister (who is elected by the MLAs of the ruling party) selects other people as ministers.
Question 3: Why should decisions taken by the Chief Minister and other ministers be debated in the Legislative Assembly?
Answer: Since a democracy works on a participative basis, the members can ask questions and debate on the decisions of the ministers. The Legislative Assembly represents the people of the state. In other words, it represents the voice of people through their representatives. So, each major decision needs to be debated in order to give it people's assent. That is why, decisions taken by the Chief Minister and other ministers be debated in the Legislative Assembly.
Question 4: What was the problem in Patalpuram? What discussion/ action was taken by the following? Fill in the table.
Answer: In Patalpuram there was shortage of drinking water and the condition of the district hospital was pathetic. It was overflowing with patients suffering from diarrhoea.
- Public Meeting: demand for bringing the health situation in control.
- Legislative Assembly: supply of water tankers and ORS packets and clearing up of garbage.
- Press Conference: instructing collectors and the chief medical officers to take urgent measures. Supply of drinking water to every village through tanker trucks and also steps to clear the garbage.
- Chief Minister: visit to the families who have lost their near and dear ones due to illness, compensation to the families. Asking a high level committee to look into sanitation needs, and public works minister to take care of water supply to the region.
Question 5: What is the difference between the work that MLAs do in the Assembly and the work done by government departments?
Answer: The job of legislature is to make laws. So, when MLAs are working in the Assembly they are either making a new law or changing an existing law. Execution of various welfare programs and implementation of laws is the work of the executive. The executive is assisted by bureaucracy in this task. We can say that assisting the elected goverment for welfare programs and implementation of laws is the task of various government departments. The making of laws is done by the legislature i.e. MLAs. Implementation of these laws is done by the government departments.