CABINET COMMITTEES (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Union government of India has formed eight Cabinet committees to address various critical issues and streamline decision-making processes.

Cabinet Committees

• About: These are established to alleviate the burden on the Cabinet by delegating specific tasks.

oNot mentioned in the constitution; their establishment is governed by the Rules of Business.

• GoI Transaction of Business Rules, 1961: The Indian executive functions under these rules, derived from Article 77(3) of the Constitution, which empowers the President to make rules for the transaction of government business.
• Types: Standing and Ad-hoc Committees
• Formation: Once ministerial portfolios are allocated, the Prime Minister forms high-profile Cabinet committees with selected Cabinet members.
• Committee Composition: Each committee typically consists of three to eight Cabinet ministers, with occasional inclusion of non-Cabinet ministers or special invitees.
• Prime Minister's Role: If the Prime Minister is a member of any committee, he assumes the role of its chairperson.
• Flexibility in Structure: The Prime Minister has the flexibility to adjust the number of committees and modify their assigned functions as needed.
• The 8 Cabinet Committees: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), Cabinet Committee on Accommodation, Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth, and Cabinet Committee on Skill, Employment and Livelihood.

oNo change has been made in the powerful Appointments Committee.

oSimilarly, the composition of the CCS has been kept unchanged. Also headed by the Prime Minister, the CCS has the ministers for Finance, Defence, Home Affairs and External Affairs as its members.