Unitary government is a type of government where the central government has complete control over the entire country. India is not a unitary government, where the central government has a significant amount of power and authority over its states and territories.
India is a federal country, which means that the power is divided between the central government and the state governments. The Constitution of India clearly defines the powers and responsibilities of both the central government and the state governments, and they have separate spheres of influence.
Advantages of Unitary Government
- It allows for greater efficiency and coordination in the management of the country. The central government can quickly and efficiently respond to crises or emergencies and can provide resources and support to the states and territories as needed.
- Unitary system can help to prevent the duplication of efforts and resources and can help to ensure that the country is managed consistently and coherently.
Disadvantages of Unitary Government
- It can lead to a concentration of power in the central government, which can make it difficult for the states and territories to have their voices heard. In addition, a unitary system can also lead to a lack of local control and accountability, as decisions are made by the central government rather than by local authorities
K Santhanam, the two factors have been responsible for increasing the unitary bias (tendency of centralisation) of the Constitution. These are:(i) the dominance of the Centre in the financial sphere and the dependence of the states upon the Central grants
(ii) the emergence of a powerful erstwhile planning commission which controlled the developmental process in the states
(ii) the emergence of a powerful erstwhile planning commission which controlled the developmental process in the states
Some countries that have a unitary government include:
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• Japan
• South Korea
