Cabinet Committees

Cabinet Committees: Relevance for UPSC

GS 2: Executive

Cabinet Committees: Why in news?

After the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government increased the MSP for Rabi Crops.

Cabinet Committees: Which Eight Cabinet Committees are?

• Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
• Cabinet Committee on Accommodation.
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
• Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.
• Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs.
• Cabinet Committee on Security.
• Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth.
• Cabinet Committee on Employment & Skill Development.

Cabinet Committees: Key Points

• All committees except Cabinet Committee on Accommodation and Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs are headed by the Prime Minister.
• They are extra-constitutional in emergence i.e. they are not mentioned in the Constitution. However, the Rules of Business provide for their establishment.
• 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.”
• The Prime Minister constitutes Standing Committees of the Cabinet and sets out the specific functions assigned to them. He can add or reduce the number of committees.
• In addition to cabinet committees, several Groups of Ministers (GoMs) are constituted to look into different issues/subjects.

Cabinet Committees: Transaction of Business Rules, 1961

• The executive works under the Government of India Transaction of Business Rules, 1961.
• These Rules emerge out of 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.”
• The Rules mandate the minister-in-charge of a department (ministry) to dispose of “all business allotted to a department under” him or her.
• However, “when the subject of a case concerns more than one department”, no decision can be taken “until all such departments have concurred, or, failing such concurrence, a decision thereon has been taken by or under the authority of the Cabinet”.

Cabinet Committees: What is the Role of Cabinet Committees?

• They are an organizational device to lessen the enormous workload of the Cabinet.
• They facilitate an in-depth examination of policy issues and effective coordination.
• They are based on the principles of division of labor and effective delegation.
• They not only resolve issues and frame proposals for the Cabinet’s consideration, but they also take decisions.
• The Cabinet can, of course, review their decisions.

Cabinet Committees: What are Groups of Ministers?

• Groups of Ministers are ad hoc Committees formed to give recommendations to the cabinet on certain emergent issues and critical problem areas.
• Some of these GoMs are empowered to take decisions on behalf of the Cabinet whereas the others make recommendations to the Cabinet.
• The institution of GoMs has become a viable and effective instrument of coordination among the ministries.
• Ministers heading the concerned ministries are inducted into the relevant GoMs and when the advice is crystallised they are disbanded.

Cabinet approves Auction of IMT/5G Spectrum

Role, Functions & Significance of 8 Cabinet Committees

Cabinet Committee on Appointments

• Cabinet Committee on Appointments is most vital which makes appointments to posts of the three service chiefs, Director General of Military Operations, chiefs of all Air and Army Commands, Director General of Defence Intelligence Agency, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, Director General of Ordnance Factories, Director General of Defence Estates, Controller General of Defence Accounts, Director of Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Solicitor-General, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Chairman and Members of the Railway Board, Chief Vigilance Officers in Public Sector Undertakings and Secretariat posts of and above the rank of Joint Secretary in the Central Government.
• This Committee decides on all important empanelments and shift of officers serving on Central deputation.

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