KEY PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE AND CABINET COMMITTEES IN INDIA: ROLES AND FUNCTIONS

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES: ROLES, MEMBERS, AND FUNCTIONS #

The Constitution of India makes a mention of these Parliamentary Committees at different places, but without making any specific provisions regarding their composition, tenure, functions, etc. All these matters are dealt with by the rules of two Houses.
Parliamentary Committee that is: Appointed or elected by the house or nominated by speaker or chairman + Works under speaker /chairman + Presents its report to house or to the speaker/chairman + Has a secretariat provided by Lok Sabha /Rajya Sabha.

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Criteria	Estimates Committee	Public Accounts Committee	Committee on Public Undertakings	Departmental Standing Committee (24 Committees)
Origin	1950-recommendation of John Mathai	set up first in 1921 under Govt. of India Act 1919	Krishna Menon Committee 1964	Rules committees of Lok Sabha 1993
Composition	30 members all from Lok Sabha (largest Parliamentary Committee) Minister cannot be member	22 (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha) Elected for one year – proportional representation by single transferable vote. Chairman – from Opposition Minister cannot be member	Same as PAC Minister cannot be member	31 members (21 from Lok Sabha + 10 from Rajya Sabha) Nominated by respective presiding officers. The term of office of each standing Parliamentary Committee is one year from the date of its constitution.
Function	To examine budget –suggest economies of public expenditure	Examine CAG Audit report and discover the irregularities	To examine reports and accounts of public sector undertakings. Don’t involve day to day affairs of PSU	To examine bills, demand of grants and other matters recommended to them. Out of the 24 standing Parliamentary Committee, 8 work under the Rajya Sabha and 16 under the Lok Sabha.
Supportive officer	NO	Available. CAG – friend philosopher, guide for PAC	NO	NO
Involvement in policy	Suggest alternative policy of bringing policy of economies	NO	NO	NO

Extra constitutional in emergence.
The executive in India works under the Government of India Transaction of Business Rules, 1961.
These Rules emerge from Article 77(3) of the Constitution, which states: “The President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.”
Two types: standing and Ad-hoc:
1. Standing – Permanent committee
2. Adhoc committee – temporary for special purpose
Set up by prime minister (PM) + Varies membership from 3-8 + Includes minister in charge + senior ministers + Take decisions which are reviews by cabinet + To reduce workload of cabinet.

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CABINET COMMITTEE WHICH ARE FUNCTIONAL

Cabinet committee on political affairs (called as SUPER CABINET): deals with all policy matters pertaining to foreign and domestic affairs – chaired by prime minister
Cabinet committee on Economic affairs: direct and coordinates the governmental activities on the economic sphere – chaired by the prime minister.
Appointment committee of cabinet: decides all higher-level appointments in the central secretariat, public enterprises banks and financial institutions – chaired by the prime minister.
Cabinet committee on security: The Prime Minister chairs the CCS.
Cabinet committee on parliamentary affairs: looks after progress of government business in the parliament – chaired by home minister
Cabinet committee on Accommodation
Cabinet committee on investment and growth: headed by the Prime Minister
Cabinet committee on employment and skill development: headed by the Prime Minister

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