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Why are the Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs), often referred to as 'Mini Parliament', ineffective in fulfilling their responsibilities? ( 200 Words)
Model Answer Nature of Recommendations Non-Binding Recommendations: The recommendations made by DRSCs are not binding on the government, reducing their impact. Example: Despite detailed recommendations by the Committee on Communications and Information Technology to mitigate internet shutdowns, therRead more
Model Answer
Nature of Recommendations
Low Productivity
Decreasing Bill Referrals
Inadequate Technical and Support Staff
Conclusion
To enhance the functioning of DRSCs and restore their role as a robust mechanism of parliamentary oversight, the following measures are necessary:
- Making recommendations binding to ensure implementation.
- Increasing the referral of Bills for thorough scrutiny.
- Strengthening committee staffing and technical support.
See lessHighlighting the significance of cooperatives in India, discuss how the Ministry of Cooperation will give an impetus to them.
A cooperative is a voluntary association of individuals having common needs, who join hands for the achievement of common economic interest. It aims to provide support to its members, with focus on the interest of the poorer sections of society, through the principle of mutual help. There are differRead more
A cooperative is a voluntary association of individuals having common needs, who join hands for the achievement of common economic interest. It aims to provide support to its members, with focus on the interest of the poorer sections of society, through the principle of mutual help. There are different types of cooperatives working in India viz. Consumers’ Cooperatives Societies, Producers’ cooperative societies, Cooperative Credit Societies, Cooperative Farming Societies and Housing Cooperative Society.
Significance of Cooperatives in India:
Recently, the Union Government has created a separate Ministry of Cooperation to be led by the Union Home Minister to give impetus to cooperatives as:
However, the Supreme Court has declared some portions of Part IXB, introduced in the Constitution by the 97th Amendment Act of 2012, which provided the terms for running cooperative societies in a single state as unconstitutional. This has created doubts regarding the role of the newly created Ministry of Cooperation as it will now have powers to frame rules only for multi-state cooperatives or for those cooperatives, which are working in Union Territories. Notwithstanding the legal challenges, there is a need for a strong cooperative movement for developing the rural and agriculture sector of India. For this, various other measures like structural reforms in terms of winding up weaker and inefficient societies and merging stronger and efficient societies, promoting multipurpose societies, ensuring efficiency in functioning, capacity building and promoting transparency for making the cooperative more effective and realizing its objectives are needed to be taken at both levels- union and state- in the spirit of cooperative federalism.
See lessDiscuss the structure and responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretariat in the Indian government. Analyze its role in coordinating the functioning of various ministries and departments, and compare it with the administrative center of other major democracies.
The Rajya Sabha, or the Council of States, is the upper house of the Indian Parliament and plays a significant role in the country's parliamentary system. Let's evaluate its role and compare it with the upper houses in other major bicameral legislatures: Role of the Rajya Sabha in the Indian ParliamRead more
The Rajya Sabha, or the Council of States, is the upper house of the Indian Parliament and plays a significant role in the country’s parliamentary system. Let’s evaluate its role and compare it with the upper houses in other major bicameral legislatures:
Role of the Rajya Sabha in the Indian Parliamentary System:
Representation of States and Union Territories: The Rajya Sabha provides representation to the states and union territories of India, with each state and UT having a specific number of seats allocated based on their population.
Legislative Functions: The Rajya Sabha has the power to introduce, consider, and pass bills, except for money bills, which can only originate in the Lok Sabha (the lower house).
Oversight and Accountability: The Rajya Sabha can hold the government accountable through mechanisms like question hour, short-duration discussions, and calling attention motions.
Constitutional Amendments: The Rajya Sabha plays a crucial role in the amendment of the Constitution, as any constitutional amendment requires the approval of both houses of Parliament.
Impeachment of the President: The Rajya Sabha, along with the Lok Sabha, can initiate the process of impeachment of the President of India.
Comparison with the U.S. Senate and the U.K. House of Lords:
United States Senate:
See lessThe U.S. Senate represents the states, with each state having two senators, regardless of population.
The Senate has equal legislative powers to the House of Representatives, including the ability to introduce, debate, and pass bills.
The Senate plays a crucial role in the confirmation of presidential appointments and in the ratification of treaties.
The Senate also has the sole power to conduct impeachment trials of the President, Vice President, and other federal officials.
United Kingdom House of Lords:
The House of Lords is the upper house of the U.K. Parliament, but it has a more limited role compared to the Rajya Sabha and the U.S. Senate.
The House of Lords is primarily a revising chamber, with the ability to delay and amend bills passed by the House of Commons (the lower house).
The House of Lords has no power to initiate or veto money bills, and its role in legislative process is generally secondary to the House of Commons.
The members of the House of Lords are mostly appointed, rather than elected, and include life peers, hereditary peers, and bishops of the Church of England.
While the specific powers and structures of the upper houses vary across different countries, they all share the common goal of providing representation, oversight, and a check on the legislative power of the lower houses. The Rajya Sabha in India plays a significant role in the parliamentary system, with powers that are more comparable to the U.S. Senate than the U.K. House of Lords.
Is there a need to rationalize the large number of ministries in the Government of India? Discuss with logical arguments.
Rationalizing the large number of ministries in the Government of India could enhance efficiency, reduce redundancies, and streamline governance. Here are several logical arguments for this: 1. **Improved Coordination**: A smaller number of ministries would facilitate better inter-ministerialRead more
Rationalizing the large number of ministries in the Government of India could enhance efficiency, reduce redundancies, and streamline governance. Here are several logical arguments for this:
1. **Improved Coordination**: A smaller number of ministries would facilitate better inter-ministerial coordination. Overlapping jurisdictions and fragmented responsibilities often lead to delays and inefficiencies in policy implementation. Consolidating related functions can ensure more cohesive and coherent decision-making processes.
2. **Cost Efficiency**: Maintaining a large number of ministries entails significant administrative costs. Rationalizing ministries can reduce expenditure on personnel, infrastructure, and other overheads, allowing resources to be allocated more effectively to development projects and public services.
3. **Enhanced Accountability**: Fewer ministries with clearly defined roles and responsibilities can improve accountability. It becomes easier to track performance, measure outcomes, and hold ministries accountable for their mandates. This can lead to more transparent and responsible governance.
4. **Simplified Governance**: A streamlined structure can make governance more straightforward and less bureaucratic. It can reduce the complexity of dealing with multiple agencies for businesses and citizens, improving the ease of doing business and accessing government services.
5. **Focused Expertise**: Combining ministries with overlapping functions can concentrate expertise and resources, leading to more specialized and effective policy formulation and implementation. This can enhance the quality of governance and public administration.
However, care must be taken to ensure that the consolidation process does not lead to the neglect of specific sectoral needs or reduce the focus on critical areas. Rationalization should be done thoughtfully, considering the unique requirements of each sector and ensuring that the restructuring enhances rather than hinders governmental effectiveness.
Hope this will be helpful to you.
Thankyou
See lessCabinet Committees play an important role in reinstating collective responsibility and principle of homogeneity of the Executive in the Indian Parliamentary system. Elucidate.
Answer: Cabinet Committees are extra-constitutional bodies provided in the Government of India Transaction of Business Rules, 1961. They are set up to relieve the Cabinet of some burden of work. They usually comprise Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State to deliberate and take a final call on impRead more
Answer: Cabinet Committees are extra-constitutional bodies provided in the Government of India Transaction of Business Rules, 1961. They are set up to relieve the Cabinet of some burden of work. They usually comprise Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State to deliberate and take a final call on important policy issues related to different sectors such as security, politics, economy, among others. Due to their composition, they can be indirectly said to be equivalent to the Council of Ministers (CoM). Role in reinstating collective responsibility and principle of homogeneity of the Executive:
In this way, Cabinet Committees have played highly relevant roles in guiding the Cabinet and its ministers in the process of handling the largest democracy in the world and provide good governance to its citizens.
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