Sambhav-2024

• Begin with a brief introduction to the cabinet committees and rationale behind their formation.
• Discuss the benefits of cabinet committees, challenges faced by them and measures that can be taken to improve their performance and accountability.
• Conclude with a forward-looking approach.

Introduction

Cabinet Committees are sub-groups of the Cabinet that are formed to deal with specific matters that require continuous attention and deliberation. They are constituted by the Prime Minister and consist of senior ministers who are assigned different portfolios. The rationale behind Cabinet Committees is to foster efficient coordination and decision-making among diverse ministries and departments.

Body

Some of the benefits of Cabinet Committees are:

• They help in reducing the workload of the Cabinet by taking up matters that do not require the full attention of the Cabinet or that can be resolved at a lower level.
• They facilitate collective and participatory decision-making by bringing together ministers who have expertise, interest or stake in the subject matter.
• They enable speedy and timely decisions by meeting more frequently and regularly than the Cabinet and by having a smaller and more focused membership.
• They ensure policy coherence and consistency by harmonizing the views of different ministries and departments and by resolving any conflicts among them.
• They enhance the accountability and transparency of the government by making the decisions of the Cabinet Committees public.

However, Cabinet Committees also face some challenges in their functioning, such as:

• They may not have adequate representation of all the relevant ministries and departments, which may lead to exclusion or marginalization of some stakeholders.
• They may not have sufficient authority or autonomy to make binding decisions, especially on matters that involve financial implications or constitutional provisions, which may require the approval of the Cabinet or the Parliament.
• They may not have effective coordination or communication with other Cabinet Committees, the Cabinet or the Prime Minister, which may result in duplication, overlap or contradiction of policies.
• They may not have adequate monitoring or evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact or outcome of their decisions.
• They may not have sufficient public scrutiny or oversight, which may compromise their accountability or transparency.

Some of the measures that can be taken to improve the performance and accountability of Cabinet Committees are:

• They should have a clear and well-defined mandate, scope and objectives, which should be aligned with the priorities and vision of the government and the Prime Minister.
• They should have a balanced and inclusive membership, which should reflect the diversity and complexity of the issues and the stakeholders involved.
• They should have a regular and systematic reporting and review system, which should ensure that their decisions are communicated, implemented and evaluated in a timely and effective manner.
• They should have a transparent and accountable process, which should involve the participation and feedback of the public and the civil society, and which should be subject to the scrutiny and oversight of the Parliament and the judiciary.

Conclusion

By addressing these challenges and implementing these measures, governments can optimize the functioning of Cabinet Committees, ensuring they serve as effective instruments for efficient coordination and decision-making.