Unit 2 – Union Government
- Structure of the Indian Union
- President – Role and Powers
- Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
- Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
 |
| Constitution of India |
The Union Government is the central government of India. It is responsible for governing the entire country and dealing with matters that concern the nation as a whole. The powers and functions of the Union Government are mainly defined in the Constitution of India.
Main Components of the Union Government
The Union Government consists of three main organs:
- Executive
- President of India – The constitutional head of the Union.
- Prime Minister – The real executive head of the government.
- Council of Ministers – Assists and advises the Prime Minister in running the government.
- Legislature
- The Union Legislature is called Parliament.
- It consists of:
- Lok Sabha (House of the People)
- Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
- President
- Judiciary
- The Supreme Court of India is the highest court in the country.
- It protects the Constitution and ensures that laws and government actions follow constitutional principles.
Important Functions of the Union Government
The Union Government is responsible for subjects of national importance, such as:
- Defence and national security
- Foreign affairs
- Banking and currency
- Railways and national highways
- Citizenship
- Communication
- Atomic energy
- International trade
- National economic policies
President and Prime Minister
The President is the formal head of the Union Government, while the Prime Minister heads the Council of Ministers and exercises the main executive authority. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
In Simple Words
Union Government = Government of the entire country
It makes national policies, maintains national security, manages foreign relations, makes laws on Union subjects, and coordinates with the State Governments.
Constitutional basis: The Union Government is primarily dealt with in Part V (Articles 52–151) of the Constitution of India.