What are Departmental Standing Committees?
Q. Which of the following are true regarding the composition of Departmental Standing Committees?
1) They were setup in 1993.
2) Each committee consists of 31 members.
3) Its recommendations are advisory.- Published on 03 Mar 17a. 1, 2
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
ANSWER: All of the above
- On the recommendation of the Rules Committee of the Lok Sabha, 17 Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) were set up in the Parliament in 1993.
- In 2004, number was increased from 17 to 24.
- The main objective of the standing committees is to secure more accountability of the Executive (i.e., the Council of Ministers) to the Parliament, particularly financial accountability.
- They also assist the Parliament in debating the budget more effectively.
- The 24 standing committees cover under their jurisdiction all the ministries/departments of the Central Government.
- In 1989, three Standing Committees were constituted which dealt with Agriculture, Science and Technology and Environment and Forests.
- In 1993, they were superseded by the Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs).
- Each standing committee consists of 31 members (21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha).
- The members of the Lok Sabha are nominated by the Speaker from amongst its own members, just as the members of the Rajya Sabha are nominated by the Chairman from amongst its members.
- A minister is not eligible to be nominated as a member of any of the standing committees.
- In case a member, after his nomination to any of the standing committees, is appointed a minister, he then ceases to be a member of the committee.
- The term of office of each standing committee is one year from the date of its constitution.
- Out of the 24 standing committees, 8 work under the Rajya Sabha and 16 under the Lok Sabha.
Functions -
1. To consider the demands for grants of the concerned ministries/departments before they are discussed and voted in the Lok Sabha. Its report should not suggest anything of the nature of cut motions.
2. To examine bills pertaining to the concerned ministries/departments.
3. To consider annual reports of ministries/departments.
4. To consider national basic long-term policy documents presented to the Houses.
Limitations on the functioning of standing committees are -
1. They should not consider the matters of day-to-day administration of the concerned ministries/departments.
2. They should not generally consider the matters which are considered by other parliamentary committees.
3. It should be noted here that the recommendations of these committees are advisory in nature and hence not binding on the Parliament.
