India’s 28 States & 8 UTs: Complete Guide to PM, Ministers & Governance
- Abhinand PS
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- Jun 11
- 3 min read
1. India’s Federal Structure: States & Union Territories
Keywords: India states list, union territories India, state governance India
India comprises 28 states and 8 union territories, each with its own capital, legislature, and administrative setup knowledgeumacademy.in+4en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4. Uttar Pradesh (∼200 M) is the most populous, while Sikkim (∼0.6 M) is the smallest by population .
Governance Structure
States: Governed by elected government under a Governor
Union Territories: Directly administered by President-appointed Administrators; some have elected assemblies (e.g., Delhi, Puducherry) en.wikipedia.org.
2. Leadership at the Centre: PM, Cabinet & Ministers
Keywords: Prime Minister India 2025, India council ministers, Modi 3.0 cabinet
🧑✈️ Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi was sworn in for his third term on 9 June 2024. He also oversees critical departments: Personnel, Space, and Atomic Energy .
Cabinet Highlights
The Third Modi Ministry (since June 2024) includes:
31 Cabinet Ministers
5 Ministers of State (Independent Charge)
36 Ministers of State
Total: 72 ministers reuters.com+12en.wikipedia.org+12en.wikipedia.org+12.
Key Portfolios & Ministers
Here are notable ones timesofindia.indiatimes.com+8pmindia.gov.in+8india.gov.in+8:
Minister | Portfolio(s) |
Rajnath Singh | Defence |
Amit Shah | Home Affairs, Cooperation |
Nitin Jairam Gadkari | Road Transport & Highways |
Nirmala Sitharaman | Finance, Corporate Affairs |
S Jaishankar | External Affairs |
Ashwini Vaishnaw | Railways, I&B, Electronics & Info Tech |
Piyush Goyal | Commerce & Industry |
Pralhad Joshi | Consumer Affairs, New & Renewable Energy |
Bhupender Yadav | Environment, Labour & Employment |
…and more across agriculture, education, health, etc. timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15pmindia.gov.in+15pw.live+15.
3. State-Level Leadership & Legislatures
Keywords: state governments India, chief ministers list, state legislature structure
Each state has a Governor and either a unicameral or bicameral legislature pw.live+2en.wikipedia.org+2knowindia.india.gov.in+2. For example:
Karnataka & Uttar Pradesh: bicameral
Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu: unicameral.
Chief Ministers in major states (as of mid-2025):
West Bengal – Mamata Banerjee
Kerala – Pinarayi Vijayan
Maharashtra – Eknath Shinde
Tamil Nadu – M.K. Stalin
And so on.
These state governments handle key sectors: health, education, agriculture, law & order.
4. Quick Facts Table
Category | Count / Detail |
States | 28 |
Union Territories | 8 |
Total sub‑national units | 36 |
Total districts | ∼800 |
Cabinet Ministers | 31 |
MoS (Independent) | 5 |
Ministers of State | 36 |
Total Union Ministers | 72 |
PM Narendra Modi’s Term | 3rd consecutive (since 2014) |
5. Actionable Insights for Audiences
Keywords: understand Indian govt, civics guidance India, state vs central roles
For Students & Educators: Use this as a governance roadmap—know which ministries oversee what.
For Researchers: Track how federal vs. central powers affect policy, budgeting, and implementation.
For Citizens: Identify your Chief Minister vs. national ministers when addressing issues.
For Analysts: Watch how cabinet reshuffles reflect political priorities.
6. FAQ
1. How many states & UTs are there?India has 28 states and 8 union territories, totalling 36 units currentaffairs.adda247.com+9en.wikipedia.org+9pw.live+9lemonde.fr+2infinitylearn.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2economictimes.indiatimes.com+8reuters.com+8timesofindia.indiatimes.com+8.
2. Who is the PM and how many terms served?Narendra Modi, in his third consecutive term since June 2024, making him the second PM after Nehru to do so .
3. How many ministers are in the current central government?There are 72 ministers: 31 Cabinet, 5 MoS Independent, 36 MoS en.wikipedia.org.
4. What’s the difference between a state and a UT?States have elected governments under Governors; most UTs are centrally administered (some have elected assemblies) .
5. Who leads the states?Each state is led by a Chief Minister and Legislature (unicameral/bicameral). Governors act as ceremonial heads knowledgeumacademy.in+5en.wikipedia.org+5knowindia.india.gov.in+5.
7. Storytelling: Responding to a National Crisis
In June 2025, PM Modi convened his first Council of Ministers meeting post-Operation Sindoor, reinforcing swift military responses and national security coordination timesofindia.indiatimes.com+3india-briefing.com+3economictimes.indiatimes.com+3. Such meetings showcase federal synergy—with state CMs and bureaucrats actively preparing under federal guidance .
🔗 Internal & External Links
Internal:
Explainer: India’s Parliament, Central & State Governments
How Citizens Can Reach Their Ministers
External:
Wikipedia on states & UTs en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4knowindia.india.gov.in+4
Wikipedia: Third Modi Ministry en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2
PM India’s Council of Ministers details india.gov.in+2pmindia.gov.in+2pmindia.gov.in+2
India.gov.in site on Council of Ministers india.gov.in+1pmindia.gov.in+1
Latest PM Modi 11‑yr milestones & national strategy
🔍 In Summary
India’s governance structure is a robust federal system of 28 elected states and 8 union territories. At the helm is PM Narendra Modi and his team of 72 central ministers, working alongside state Chief Ministers and Legislatures. Understanding this framework helps citizens navigate responsibilities from local issues to national reforms—grasping who governs what, and why it matters.
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