Table of Contents
Q) Consider the following statements. Which among them is/are correct?
- Standing Committees are the permanent committees that are constituted on a regular basis
- Ad hoc committees are temporary committees that are dissolved when the task is completed.
- Committee of Agriculture is an ad-hoc committee.
- Only II
- Only I and II
- Only I and III
- Only III
ORIGIN OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES
- The first Parliamentary Committee was constituted in 1571 in Britain.
- In India, the first Public Accounts Committee was constituted in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919.
STANDING COMMITTEES
- Unlike the Ad Hoc committees, the standing committees are permanent and regular in nature.
- Most Bills, after their introduction, get referred to department-related standing committees.
- There are 24 standing committees, each dealing with specific subjects such as commerce, home affairs, HRD, defence, health etc.
- It was back in 1993, when 17 department related standing committees were constituted.
- In July 2004, seven more such committees were added, taking the total to 24.
• All the ministries and departments |
government come under the jurisdiction |
committees. |
- Out of the 24 Committees, 8 are within the administrative jurisdiction of Chairman of Rajya Sabha and rest are administered by the Lok Sabha
- Each standing committee has 31 members — 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha — nominated by the Speaker and the Chairman.
- Tenure?
- For the first time since they were introduced in 1993, Lok Speaker Om Birla has asked for a comprehensive review of the committee system.
- Lok Sabha speaker sought an opinion whether there was a need for changes in the manner in which the panels operate.
- This comes in the backdrop of efforts by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats to hold online meetings of the committees, after pressure from the Opposition parties.
- The Parliament session abruptly ended on March 23.
- None of the department related standing committees (DRSCs) have met since then.
- The Rajya Sabha secretariat had done a similar analysis.
- Briefing the House, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, on March 1, pointed out that-
- A total of 95 MPs did not attend a single meeting of the eight DRSCs that reviewed allocations for 18 Ministries after the presentation of the 2020-21 Union Budget on February 1.
- The decision is important as the introduction of 17 department-related standing committees during the tenure of Congress’s Shivraj Patil as Speaker was a significant innovation that increased parliamentary scrutiny and gave MPs a larger role in examining legislation and important decisions of the day
- The committee system, however, has been affected by delays in preparing reports and worrying incidence of absenteeism.
ADVANTAGES OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES
- Detailed scrutiny of the bills.
- Obtaining public feedback and building political consensus.
- Committees perform their functions without the cloud of political positioning.
- Function through the year.
- Increase the efficiency and expertise of Parliament.
Q) Consider the following statements. Which among them is/are correct?
- Standing Committees are the permanent committees that are constituted on a regular basis
- Ad hoc committees are temporary committees that are dissolved when the task is completed.
- Committee of Agriculture is an ad-hoc committee.
- Only II
- Only I and II
- Only I and III
- Only III
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