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Context

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has accorded approval for procurement of more than 200 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and associated equipment for the Indian Navy at a cost of around Rs 19,000 crore.

Details

Cabinet Committee

• Cabinet Committees are extra-constitutional.
• It is a group of ministers which can take collective decisions that are binding across various ministries/departments.
• They are partly designed to reduce the burden on the Union Cabinet by allowing smaller groups of ministers to take decisions on specific policy areas.
• They are constituted or reconstituted when a new government takes over or the Cabinet undergoes a reshuffle.
• The Prime Minister constitutes Standing Committees of the Cabinet and sets out the specific functions assigned to them.
• The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961, facilitating smooth transaction of business in ministries/departments of the government.
• This Secretariat provides secretarial assistance to the Cabinet and its Committees, and also assists in decision making in government by ensuring inter-ministerial coordination.

Cabinet Committee on Security

• The Cabinet Committee on Security is the country’s highest decision-making body on security affairs.
• Functions of the Cabinet Committee on Security include:
• Deal with issues relating to defense, law and order, and internal security.
• Deal with policy matters concerning foreign affairs that have internal or external security implications including cases relating to agreements with other countries on security related issues.
• Review the manpower requirements relating to national security including proposals concerning creation of posts carrying the pay scale or pay band plus Grade Pay equivalent to that of a joint secretary to the government of India and higher, and setting up new structures to deal with security related issues.
• Deal with all matters relating to atomic energy.
• It also goes into economic and political issues related to national security.
• It considers all cases involving capital defence expenditure more than Rs 1,000 crore. It considers issues related to the Department of Defence Production and the Department of Defence Research and Development, Services Capital Acquisition plans and schemes for procurement of security-related equipment.

Some other Key Committees

Appointments:

• Of the eight panels constituted by Prime Minister, the most vital is the Cabinet Committee on Appointments.
• This panel makes appointments to posts of the three service chiefs, Director General of Military Operations, chiefs of all Air and Army Commands, Director General of Defence Intelligence Agency, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, Director General of Ordnance Factories, Director General of Defence Estates, Controller General of Defence Accounts, Director of Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Solicitor-General, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Chairman and Members of the Railway Board, Chief Vigilance Officers in Public Sector Undertakings and Secretariat posts of and above the rank of Joint Secretary in the Central Government.
• This Committee decides on all important empanelments and shift of officers serving on Central deputation.

Accommodation:

• The Cabinet Committee on Accommodation determines the guidelines or rules with regard to the allotment of government accommodation.
• It also takes a call on the allotment of government accommodation to non-eligible persons and organisations as also the rent to be charged from them.
• It can consider the allotment of accommodation from the General Pool to Members of Parliament.
• It can consider proposals for shifting existing Central Government Offices to locations outside the capital.

Economic Affairs:

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs is supposed to review economic trends, problems and prospects “for evolving a consistent and integrated economic policy”, coordinate all activities requiring policy decisions at the highest level, deal with fixation of prices of agricultural produce and prices of essential commodities.
• It considers proposals for investment of more than Rs 1,000 crore, deal with industrial licensing policies and review rural development and the Public Distribution System.

Parliamentary Affairs:

• The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs draws the schedule for Parliament sessions and monitors the progress of government business in Parliament.
• It scrutinises non-government business and decides which official Bills and resolutions are to be presented.

Political Affairs:

• The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs addresses problems related to Centre-state relations.
• It also examines economic and political issues that require a wider perspective but have no internal or external security implications.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q The size of the cabinet should be as big as governmental work justifies and as big as the Prime Minister can manage as a team. How far the efficacy of a government then is inversely related to the size of the cabinet? Discuss.