Lok Sabha Question No. 4454 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-08
Subject: Nomination of Members in Consultative Committees
Ministry: PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
Asked by: L.R. Shivaramegowda

- (a) Yes.
- (b) Guidelines  for  constitution  and  functions  of  the  Consultative  Committees  is  annexed. (Annex-I)
- (c) Ministry-wise vacancies in various Consultative Committees is annexed. (Annex-II)
- (d) Yes.  Details of the meetings held during last three years is annexed. (Annex-III)
- (e) As  per  Guidelines,  in  case  of  unanimity  of  views  in  the  Committee,  Government  will normally accept the recommendations of the Committee, subject to the following exceptions, viz.:
- i. Any recommendation with financial implications;
- ii. Any  recommendation  concerning  security,  Defence,  External  Affairs  and  Atomic Energy; and
- iii. Any matter falling within the purview of an autonomous institution.
- (f) Yes.
- (g) Does not arise.
- (h) At  present,  Government  have  no  proposal  to  review  the  functioning  of  Consultative Committees.

*************

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4454 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8.01.2019

## NOMINATION OF MEMBERS IN CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES

4454.

SHRI L.R. SHIVARAME GOWDA

## Will the Minister of PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Ministry  of  Parliamentary  Affairs  nominates  Members  of  Parliament  on  the Consultative Committees (CCs) of various Ministries under the Government;
- (b) if so, the details of guidelines of constitution and functions of CCs;
- (c) the details of vacancies in various CCs, Ministry-wise;
- (d) whether the rule to hold six meetings normally and mandatory four meetings in a year are not being  adhered  and if  so,  the  details  of  meetings  held  during  the  last  three  years,  Ministrywise;
- (e) whether the Government accepts the recommendations of the meetings of CCs and if so, the details thereof, Ministry-wise;
- (f) whether preferences for nomination in CCs from the Members or Leaders of Parties/Groups are being accepted by the Ministry;
- (g) if so, the complaints received in this regard and the action taken thereon; and
- (h) the steps proposed to be taken by the Government to make these CCs more effective?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

## 1. Preamble

An informal  Consultative  Committee  system  for  various  Ministries/Departments  of the Government of India was instituted in 1954. It was given a formal shape in April 1969 with the issue of Guidelines to regulate the constitution and functioning of the Consultative Committees  for  various  Ministries  and  Departments,  in  consultation  with  the  Leaders  of Opposition Parties/Groups.

## 2. Objectives

-  To  create  awareness  among  the  Members  of  Parliament  about  the  working  of Government.
-  To  promote  informal  consultation  between  the  Government  and  the  Members  of Parliament on policies and programmes of the Government and the manner of their implementation.
-  To provide an opportunity to Government to benefit from the advice and guidance of the  Members  of  Parliament  in  relation  to  policy  matters  and  implementation  of programmes and schemes.

## 3. Constitution and Dissolution

- 3.1 Consultative  Committee  will  be  constituted  for  all  Ministries/Departments  of  the Government of India, so as far as possible. The Government will decide the composition of these Committees with due regard to the respective strengths of various parties in Parliament.
- 3.2 A Consultative Committee will have a Minimum membership of ten and a maximum membership of thirty.
- 3.3. The membership of Consultative Committees is voluntary.  A Member of Parliament desirous  of  serving  as  a  Regular  Member  on  a  Consultative  Committee  shall  send  her/his request  (in  the  enclosed  proforma) providing options of Consultative Committees for three Ministries/Departments in order of preference to the  Leader of his Party/Group in the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha, except Nominated Members and Members of small parties/groups (with less  than  five  Members)  who  may  send  her/his  preferences  directly  to  the  Ministry  of Parliamentary Affairs.  The Leader of the Party/Group will, in turn, after due consideration, forward  her/his  recommendation  to  the  Ministry  of  Parliamentary  Affairs.    A  Member  of Parliament can become a Regular Member of only one Consultative Committee at any point of time.
- 3.4 Members of Parliament  may  also  be  appointed  as  Permanent  Special  Invitees  on  a Consultative  Committee  if  they  have  special  interest in the subjects of a particular Ministry/Department.  A  Member  can  be  nominated  as  Permanent  Special  Invitee  on  one Consultative Committee only. However, such a Member will not be entitled to any TA/DA for attending the meetings of the Consultative Committee.   A maximum of five Permanent Special Invitees will be allowed on each Consultative Committee.
- 3.5 The Ministry  of  Parliamentary  Affairs  will  notify  the  membership  of  a  Member  of Parliament  on  a  Consultative  Committee  taking  note  of  the  vacancy  position  and  the preference of the Member of Parliament, on a first come first served basis.

3.6 A Member who is neither a Regular Member nor a Permanent Special Invitee may be invited to a meeting of the Consultative Committee as a special invitee if she/he has given notice of a subject for discussion and it has been included in the agenda or if she/he expresses her/his desire to participate in the discussion on agenda item(s) notified for the meeting of the Consultative Committee  and  her/his request has been approved by the Minister of Parliamentary  Affairs.    However,  such  a  Member  will  not  be  entitled  to  any  TA/DA  for attending the meeting of the Consultative Committee.

3.7 A Regular Member of the Consultative Committee shall be entitled to receive TA/DA for attending the meetings held during Inter-Session period as per her/his entitlement .

3.8 The Minister in-charge of the Ministry/Department shall preside over the meeting of the  Consultative  Committee  attached  to  her/his  Ministry/Department.    Whenever,  for exceptional reasons, the  Minister in-charge is  not  able to  preside  over  the  meeting  already convened, it will either be presided over by the Minister of State of that Ministry/Department or it will be postponed .

3.9 A Consultative Committee may be dissolved if its membership falls below ten due to retirement/resignation of member(s).  The remaining Members of such dissolved Committee will be requested to indicate their preferences as prescribed in paragraph 3.3 above for their nomination on the Consultative Committees where vacancies exist .

3.10 The  Consultative  Committees  shall  stand  dissolved  upon  dissolution  of  every  Lok Sabha and shall be reconstituted upon constitution of each Lok Sabha .

3.11 Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs will notify the constitution of Consultative Committee.

## 4 Functions and Limitations

4.1 The  Consultative  Committee  provide  a  forum  for  free  and  open  discussion  on  the policies, programmes and schemes of the concerned Ministries/Departments in an informal environment.

4.2 Members  of  Parliament  are  free  to  discuss  any  matter  which  can  appropriately  be discussed in Parliament.  It would, however, not be desirable to refer on the floor of either House of Parliament to anything which might have taken place in a meeting of a Consultative Committee. This will be binding on both the Government and the Members.

4.3 The Consultative Committees will not have the right to summon any witness, to send for or demand the production of any file or to examine any official record .

## 5. Meetings

## Number of Meetings

5.1 Six meetings of the Consultative Committees should normally be held during Session and Inter-session period.  Of the six meetings of the Consultative Committees in a year, it shall be mandatory to hold four meetings. Of these, three meetings shall be held during intersession  periods  and  one  meeting  shall  be  held  during  either  the  session  or  inter-session period, according to the convenience of the Chairman of the Committee .

## Meetings outside Delhi

- 5.2 One  meeting  of  a  Consultative  Committee  in  a  calendar  year  may  be  held  outside Delhi, anywhere in India, during an Inter-session period if the Chairperson of the Committee so desires .

## Date of the Meeting

- 5.3 Date for a subsequent meeting of a Consultative Committee may be decided in the previous meeting of the Committee, as far as possible

## Duration

- 5.4 The duration of the meeting will be decided by the chairperson at her/his discretion depending on the business to be transacted .

## Notice for the Meeting

- 5.5 In order to facilitate making of adequate administrative arrangements for the meetings of the Consultative Committees and avoid bunching up of such meetings, the Ministries/Departments  concerned  should,  as  far  as  possible,  communicate  the  decision  to convene the meeting to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs at least four weeks in advance of the meeting .
- 5.6 Notice for the meeting of a Consultative Committee will be issued to Members and invitees  at  least  10  days  in  advance  during  the  Session  periods  and  at  least  two  weeks  in advance during the Inter-Session periods by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs .
- 5.7 Notice for the meeting shall be sent to the residential addresses of the  Members in Delhi  during  the  Session  periods  and  to  their  Delhi  addresses  as  well  as  the  permanent addresses during the Inter-session period .

## Quorum

- 5.8 There is no quorum fixed for conducting the meeting of a Consultative Committee .

## 6. Agenda

- 6.1 The  Agenda  for  the  meeting  of  a  Consultative  Committee  may  be  decided  by  the Chairperson in  consultation  with  the  Members,  as  far  as  possible.  The  Members  may  also suggest item(s) for inclusion in the Agenda for the consideration on the Chairperson.
- 6.2 As  far  as  possible,  the  Agenda  for  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Consultative Committee may be decided during the previous meeting of the committee .
- 6.3 The Agenda papers (both Hindi & English versions) [including the minutes of the last meeting, action taken report on the minutes of the last meeting and brief/notes on the agenda item(s) for the ensuing meeting] for the Consultative Committee meeting shall be sent by the Ministry concerned to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs at least 10 days in advance in order  to  ensure  its  circulation  among  the  Members  sufficiently  in  advance  to  facilitate informed discussions during the meeting .
- 6.4 Copies  of  the  Agenda  papers  (in  English  &  Hindi)  must  be  supplied  in  adequate numbers (number of Members plus ten during the Session period and double the number of Members  plus  ten  during  Inter-session  period,  respectively)  by  the  Ministry/  Department concerned to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs .
- 6.5 The Members may seek details or additional information on items/ additional items of the Agenda from the Ministry/Department concerned through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs .

## 7. Recommendations

- 7.1 A brief record of the discussions held on the approved Agenda items of the meeting shall be maintained and circulated to the Members .
- 7.2 In case of unanimity of views in the Committee, Government will normally accept the recommendations of the Committee, subject to the following exceptions, viz.:
- (i) any recommendation with financial implications;
- (ii) any recommendation concerning security, Defence, External Affairs and Atomic Energy; and
- (iii) any matter falling with the purview of an autonomous institution.

## 8. Administrative Matters

- 8.1 The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs shall be responsible for over-all coordination in respect of matters concerning the Consultative Committees .
- 8.2 Senior Officers of the Ministry/Department concerned shall attend the meetings of the Consultative Committee and will assist the Minister in making presentations on agenda items, providing information and clarifications etc .
- 8.3 All notices, agenda papers, minutes etc. shall be sent to the residential address of the Members  in  Delhi  during  the  Session  periods  and  to  their  Delhi  address  as  well  as  the permanent address during the Inter-session periods .

## 9. SUB-COMMITTEE

No Sub-Committees of a Consultative Committee shall be constituted .

## NOMINATION ON CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

I  may be nominated on one of the following Consultative Committees in order of preference:-

1.

…………………………………………………………………………

2.

…………………………………………………………………………..

3.

…………………………………………………………………………..

Signature……………………………………….

Name:  \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(in capital letters)

Member : Lok/Rajya Sabaha

Party Affiliation:

Telephone and Fax Number at

- (a) Delhi Address:

- (b) Permanent Address:

To

Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, New Delhi.

## VACANCY  LIST OF CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES  CONSTITUTED FOR VARIOUS MINISTRIES FOR 16 TH  LOK SABHA AS ON DATE 31.12.2018

|   S.No. | NAME OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE                                                                                       | VACANCY   |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|
|       1 | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare                                                                              | 4         |
|       2 | Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers                                                                                    | 16        |
|       3 | Ministry of Civil Aviation                                                                                               | 5         |
|       4 | Ministry of Coal                                                                                                         | 5         |
|       5 | Ministry of Commerce and Industry                                                                                        | 13        |
|       6 | Ministry of Communications                                                                                               | 11        |
|       7 | Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution                                                               | 19        |
|       8 | Ministry of Defence                                                                                                      | 9         |
|       9 | Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region                                                                          | 20        |
|      10 | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences | 13        |
|      11 | Ministry of External Affairs                                                                                             | 8         |
|      12 | Ministry of Finance and M/o Corporate Affairs                                                                            | 1         |
|      13 | Ministry of Food Processing Industries                                                                                   | 19        |
|      14 | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare                                                                                    | 9         |
|      15 | Ministry of Home Affairs                                                                                                 | 2         |
|      16 | Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs                                                                                    | 7         |
|      17 | Ministry of Human Resources Development                                                                                  | 5         |
|      18 | Ministry of Information and Broadcasting                                                                                 | 16        |
|      19 | Ministry of Labour and Employment                                                                                        | 14        |
|      20 | Ministry of Minority Affairs                                                                                             | 21        |
|      21 | Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas                                                                                    | NIL       |
|      22 | Ministry of Power                                                                                                        | 1         |
|      23 | Ministry of Railways                                                                                                     | 2         |
|      24 | Ministry of Road Transport and Highways                                                                                  | 3         |
|      25 | Ministry of Rural Development Ministry of Panchyati Raj and Ministry of Mines                                            | 3         |
|      26 | Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship                                                                       | 14        |
|      27 | Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment                                                                               | 17        |
|      28 | Ministry of Steel                                                                                                        | 14        |
|      29 | Ministry of Textiles                                                                                                     | 16        |
|      30 | Ministry of Tourism                                                                                                      | 1         |
|      31 | Ministry of Tribal Affairs                                                                                               | 18        |
|      32 | Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation                                                    | 14        |
|      33 | Ministry of Women and Child Development                                                                                  | 18        |
|      34 | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports                                                                                     | 18        |

## DETAILS OF THE MEETINGS OF CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES HELD DURING LAST THREE YEARS

|   S.No. | NAME OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE                                                                                       |   Number of meetings held during 2015 | Number of meetings held during 2016   |   Number of meetings held during 2017 |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|       1 | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare                                                                              |                                     6 | 6                                     |                                     6 |
|       2 | Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers                                                                                    |                                     4 | 3                                     |                                     2 |
|       3 | Ministry of Civil Aviation                                                                                               |                                     3 | 1                                     |                                     2 |
|       4 | Ministry of Coal                                                                                                         |                                     4 | 4                                     |                                     3 |
|       5 | Ministry of Commerce and Industry                                                                                        |                                     4 | 2                                     |                                     3 |
|       6 | Ministry of Communications                                                                                               |                                     1 | 2                                     |                                     2 |
|       7 | Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution                                                               |                                     3 | 3                                     |                                     2 |
|       8 | Ministry of Defence                                                                                                      |                                     4 | 3                                     |                                     3 |
|       9 | Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region                                                                          |                                     3 | 3                                     |                                     2 |
|      10 | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences |                                     4 | 3                                     |                                     3 |
|      11 | Ministry of External Affairs                                                                                             |                                     4 | 3                                     |                                     3 |
|      12 | Ministry of Finance and M/o Corporate Affairs                                                                            |                                     3 | 5                                     |                                     3 |
|      13 | Ministry of Food Processing Industries                                                                                   |                                     4 | 4                                     |                                     1 |
|      14 | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare                                                                                    |                                     3 | 4                                     |                                     4 |
|      15 | Ministry of Home Affairs                                                                                                 |                                     3 | 1                                     |                                     2 |
|      16 | Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs                                                                                    |                                     2 | -                                     |                                     1 |
|      17 | Ministry of Human Resources Development                                                                                  |                                     4 | 3                                     |                                     3 |
|      18 | Ministry of Information and Broadcasting                                                                                 |                                     4 | 3                                     |                                     2 |
|      19 | Ministry of Labour and Employment                                                                                        |                                     3 | 3                                     |                                     2 |
|      20 | Ministry of Law and Justice                                                                                              |                                     2 | 1                                     |                                     3 |
|      21 | Ministry of Minority Affairs                                                                                             |                                     3 | 2                                     |                                     2 |
|      22 | Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas                                                                                    |                                     1 | 3                                     |                                     3 |
|      23 | Ministry of Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy                                                               |                                     5 | 4                                     |                                     4 |
|      24 | Ministry of Railways                                                                                                     |                                     3 | 3                                     |                                     3 |
|      25 | Ministry of Road Transport and Highways                                                                                  |                                     4 | 2                                     |                                     1 |
|      26 | Ministry of Rural Development; Ministry of Panchyati Raj and Ministry of Mines                                           |                                     5 | 2                                     |                                     1 |
|      27 | Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship                                                                       |                                     2 | 2                                     |                                     3 |
|      28 | Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment                                                                               |                                     2 | 4                                     |                                     4 |

|   29. | Ministry of Steel                                                     |   2 | 4   |   3 |
|-------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----|-----|-----|
|    30 | Ministry of Textiles                                                  |   4 | 2   |   2 |
|    31 | Ministry of Tourism                                                   |   2 | -   |   2 |
|    32 | Ministry of Tribal Affairs                                            |   4 | 3   |   1 |
|    33 | Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation |   4 | 4   |   2 |
|    34 | Ministry of Women and Child Development                               |   3 | 1   |   3 |
|    35 | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports                                  |   1 | 1   |   1 |