Cabinet Committee in India Explained [UPSC]

Ever wondered who regulates the accommodation allotted to MPs, there are many such subjects which are looked after by the Cabinet Committee In fact, it is formed to reduce the excess of works of the government. It does many important things.

In this article, we will discuss Cabinet Committees in a simple and easy way, and try to understand its various important aspects. So read this important article till the end and don’t forget to read related articles.

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What is Council of Ministers?

Since the Prime Minister cannot do all the work alone, he needs people who will work according to his agenda. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party and he has to fulfill the promise made to the public in the manifesto, that is why he has been given the power to form a group of people who are members of the house, agree with his views. This is called the Council of Ministers .

In other words, according to Article 74 of the Constitution, a Council of Ministers will be constituted to advise and assist the President , which will be headed by the Prime Minister. This is what is written in Article 163 for the state.

Similarly, in Article 75 , it is written that the President shall appoint the Prime Minister and the persons chosen by the Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President for the post of Minister. The same thing is written for the state in Article 164 .

Its number is fixed that it will not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha. That is, the number of members of the Council of Ministers in the center can be 80-81. Out of this 80-81 people , some people are cabinet ministers , some people are ministers of state and are deputy ministers .

What is Cabinet?

As we have just seen above, the cabinet is a part of the council of ministers. In which there is usually one-third of the members of the Council of Ministers, but they have all the important ministries such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture etc.

The Council of Ministers has been a part of the Constitution from the very beginning but the Cabinet was inserted in the Constitution under the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act 1978. The cabinet gradually became so powerful that it actually started exercising the powers of the Council of Ministers and also started working for it. In other words, it gives instructions to the Council of Ministers by taking political decisions and these instructions are binding on all the ministers.

For more information understand the differences between the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet ^️

Despite all this, the excess of work is so much that only the Council of Ministers or the Cabinet does not work, but to do some special work, a separate committee has to be formed which is called Cabinet Committee.

What is Cabinet committee ?

As we have just read above, the Cabinet Committee is a special type of committee which is formed to perform certain types of work. These committees not only reduce the bulk of the work of the cabinet, but also do a thorough study of policy issues to establish effective coordination. Although it is not mentioned anywhere in the constitution, hence it is a non-constitutional or non-constitutional committee.

This committee is based on the principles of division of labor and delegation, which finds solutions to urgent issues and makes proposals for the consideration of the cabinet and also takes decisions on it. However, the cabinet can review the decisions taken for them and can also make necessary changes in them.

These committees are constituted by the Prime Minister according to the need of the time and the demand of the situation and the number of its members is not fixed. The number of its members usually ranges from 3 to 8, which are usually cabinet ministers, although non-cabinet ministers can also be its members.

Most of the committees are headed by the Prime Minister, some are headed by the Home Minister, Finance Minister, Defense Minister as well. If the Prime Minister is a member of a committee, then he presides over it.

These committees are of two types – Permanent and Ad hoc. Standing committees are of permanent nature whereas ad-hoc committees are of temporary nature. Ad-hoc committees are constituted from time to time to solve specific problems. They are dismantled as soon as the purpose is fulfilled.

List of cabinet committee

In 2013, the following 10 committees were in existence during the time of UPA i.e. Congress government.

1. Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs
2. Cabinet Committee for Prices
3. Cabinet Committee for Political Affairs
4. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
5. Cabinet Committee for Security
6. Cabinet Committee for WTO Affairs
7. Investments Cabinet Committee for
8. Cabinet Committee for UIDAI
9. Cabinet Committee for Parliamentary Affairs
10. Cabinet Committee for Housing

During the tenure of NDA ie BJP government, on 10 June 2014, 4 standing committees of the cabinet were abolished, thus only 6 cabinet committees were left –
1. Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs
2. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
3. Appointment of Cabinet Committee
4. Cabinet Committee on Security
5. Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs
6. Cabinet Committee on Housing.

Current cabinet committees

Talking about the present time, a total of 8 cabinet committees are functioning. which is the following.

1. Political affairs committee – This is a very important policy decision-making committee headed by the Prime Minister. It not only decides on issues related to the Center and the States, it also decides on policy issues related to foreign affairs which are not directly related to internal or external security. In fact, this committee of cabinet ministers decides on which issues the government will focus more and adopting which policies it will move forward.

2. Economic Affairs Committee – This is also an important committee which directs the government activities of the economic sector and works to coordinate them. whether it is a matter of disinvestment or a matter related to joint sector undertakings, a matter related to import-export or a matter related to monitoring of inflation and prices; All this is discussed and decided by this committee. It is currently headed by the Prime Minister.

3. Appointment committee – This committee takes decisions regarding appointments to all high posts in the Central Secretariat, Public Enterprises, Banks and Financial Institutions. Appointments committee of the cabinet decides the appointment and extension of service from cabinet secretary to small and big officers of the Government of India.

The appointment of officers in all the ministries of the government, the chairman of the Railway Board, the appointment of the chairman of all the Public Sector Undertakings associated with the Government of India are also done only after the consent of this committee. This committee is chaired by the Prime Minister himself.

4. Parliamentary affairs committee – It looks after the role and functions of the government in the Parliament. This committee decides the dates of the Parliament session, considers the proposals for convening or adjourning the sittings of the Houses and states. Bills passed by the Legislatures which relate to Parliament; Also discusses. Apart from this, it also decides on behalf of the government on bills, budget, demands for grants related to the budget and various proposals and also monitors it continuously. It is currently headed by the Defense Minister.

5. Cabinet Committee on Security – This committee discusses the internal and external security situation of the country and takes important decisions. Law and order within the country, foreign affairs related to external security, economic and political matters related to internal and external security, all matters related to nuclear energy come under the purview of this committee. It is presided over by the Prime Minister.

6. Cabinet Committee for Investment and Growth – This is the newly formed committee which takes decisions like expansion, merger, investment, disinvestment or closure of public sector undertakings. It is presided over by the Prime Minister.

7. Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development – This is also a newly formed committee, which takes policy decisions to improve the skills of youth and increase employment opportunities in view of the problem of unemployment in the country. Is. It is headed by the Prime Minister.

8. Cabinet Committee on Housing – This committee determines the directions, terms and conditions regarding the accommodation to be allotted to the Members of Parliament, on the basis of which MPs are given their seniority and different categories. Accommodation is allotted. It is currently being chaired by the Home Minister.

Read this Press In f ormation Bureau report to know the members other than the chairpersons of these committees .

Overall these are the cabinet committees, but before the NDA government, the group of ministers and the empowered group of ministers were also running along with it, which was abolished by the NDA government………..

Group of Ministers and Empowered Group of Ministers

Apart from the Cabinet Committees, some Groups of Ministers and some empowered Groups of Ministers have also been formed to look into various issues, subjects. Out of which some ministerial groups were empowered to take decisions on behalf of the cabinet, while the remaining groups sent their recommendations to the cabinet.

As in 2013, there were 21 Groups of Ministers and 6 Empowered Groups of Ministers in existence. But in 2014 the Modi government ended all this. The work of all this is now being done under various ministries. One of the reasons behind its elimination was also some of the comments made by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2005-09) on the working of the Groups of Ministers. As pointed out by the Commission, the formation of a large number of Groups of Ministers leads to unnecessary delays in work. They do not assemble regularly and the coordination between them is lost.

The commission emphasized on selective use for this. As many as necessary Group of Ministers should be constituted. The list of the abolished Group of Ministers and the empowered Group of Ministers is given, you can see if you want.

The following 21 GoMs were in existence in 2013 –

1. Group of Ministers for development of an Integrated Strategy for Water Management
2. Group of Ministers for consideration of the Reports of the Administrative Reforms Commission
3. Group of Ministers for Civil Aviation Sector
4. National Pharmaceutical Policy, Group of Ministers for 2006
5. Group of Ministers for Energy Sector Affairs
6. Group of Ministers for various subjects related to the operation of Prasar Bharati
7. Group of Ministers on Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster
8. Measures for Prevention of Corruption GoM for recommendations
9. GoM for environmental and development related issues related to coal mining and other development projects
10. GoM for media
11. Group of Ministers to consider and recommend the Report of Commonwealth Games, 2010
12. Group of Ministers on Regulation for Coal Sector
13. To receive assistance under National Disaster Response Fund and State Disaster Response Fund Group of Ministers
14. Group of Ministers to consider amendments to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011
15. Group of Ministers constituted to formulate policy for making the already existing urea units over phase 3 of the new rate scheme NPS
16. GoM to set up National Skill Development Authority
17. GoM to issue identity cards to residents of 18 years and above across the country
18. On the recommendations of the list of experts for reforms in Central Public Sector Enterprises, Minister- group
19. Group of Ministers to consider imposition of uniform service conditions of Chairpersons and Members of Quasi-official Tribunals, Commissions, Regulatory Bodies etc.
20. Group of Ministers for views and suggestions on Indian Revenue Service and other supporting systems
21. Group of Ministers to look into matters relating to revival of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited.

The following 6 Empowered Groups of Ministers were functioning in 2013:

1. Empowered Group of Ministers to determine the share price band of all Central Public Sector Enterprises and the final price of their sale.
2. Empowered Group of Ministers to consider pricing of gas and commercial use of gas.
3. Empowered Group of Ministers for Ultra Mega Power Projects.
4. Empowered Group of Ministers for Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS).

5. Empowered Group of Ministers to look into the matter of Vacation of spectrum and Auction of 3G spectrum and grant of licenses in 22 service areas and allocation of spectrum in 2G band.
6. Powerful Group of Ministers on Drought.