• Cabinet Committees

  • The Cabinet works through various committees, known as Cabinet Committees.

• Features of Cabinet Committees

  • Extra-Constitutional Emergence:
    • Not mentioned in the Constitution.
    • Established by the Rules of Business.
  • Types:
    • Standing: Permanent nature.
    • Ad-hoc: Temporary, formed to address specific problems and disbanded after task completion.
  • Formation:
    • Set up by the Prime Minister based on the exigencies of the time and requirements.
    • Vary in number, nomenclature, and composition.
  • Membership:
    • Varies from one committee to another.
    • Usually include Cabinet Ministers, but non-cabinet ministers can be members or special invitees.
  • Composition:
    • Include ministers in charge of subjects covered and other senior ministers.
    • Mostly headed by the Prime Minister, who invariably presides if a member.
  • Functions:
    • Sort out issues and formulate proposals for Cabinet consideration.
    • Make decisions, subject to Cabinet review.
  • Purpose:
    • Reduce the workload of the Cabinet.
    • Facilitate in-depth examination of policy issues.
    • Ensure effective coordination based on division of labor and delegation.

• List of Cabinet Committees (Functional)

  1. Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs
  2. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
  3. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
  4. Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs
  5. Cabinet Committee on Security
  6. Cabinet Committee on Accommodation
  7. Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth
  8. Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development

• Functions of Cabinet Committees

  1. Political Affairs: Deals with all policy matters pertaining to domestic and foreign affairs.

  2. Economic Affairs: Directs and coordinates governmental activities in the economic sphere.

  3. Appointments: Decides on higher-level appointments in the Central Secretariat, Public Enterprises, Banks, and Financial Institutions.

  4. Parliamentary Affairs: Oversees the progress of government business in the Parliament.

  5. Security: Deals with issues relating to defence, law and order, internal security, and atomic energy.

  6. Accommodation: Deals with the allotment of government accommodation.

  7. Investment and Growth: Deals with policy matters aimed at accelerating capital inflows, export promotion, import substitution and improving ease of doing business.

  8. Employment and Skill Development: Deals with issues related to developing skills, enhancing employability and increasing women workforce participation.

     • The Political Affairs Committee is often described as a "Super-Cabinet".

• Groups of Ministers (GoMs)

  • Formed to look into different issues/subjects.
  • Some empowered to take decisions on behalf of the Cabinet, others make recommendations.
  • Institution of GoMs is a viable instrument of coordination among ministries.
  • Ad-hoc bodies formed to give recommendations on emergent issues and critical problems.
  • Ministers heading concerned ministries are inducted into the relevant GoMs.

• Second Administrative Reforms Commission Recommendations on GoMs

  1. Constitution of a large number of GoMs has resulted in many GoMs not being able to meet regularly to complete their work thus leading to significant delays on many major issues.
  2. More selective use of GoMs would lead to more effective coordination, especially if empowered to decide on behalf of Cabinet with time limits.
  3. Need to ensure existing coordination mechanisms of GoMs function effectively for early resolution of issues with clear mandate and prescribed time limits.