COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES
(i) THE PARTICULARS OF ITS ORGANIZATION, FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES
The Estimates Committee is a Committee of Lok Sabha. The motion for election of the first Estimates Committee was adopted by the Provisional Parliament on 3rd April, 1950 and the Committee was elected on 10th April 1950.
The Committee consist of not more than 30 Members from Lok Sabha who shall be elected by the House every year from amongst its members according principle of promotional representation by means of single transferable vote. The Speaker is empowered to appoint the Chairman of the Committee from amongst its members.
(a) Functions of the Committee
Rule 310 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha define the scope of functions of the Committee as under:-
“There shall be a Committee on Estimates for the examination of such of the estimates as may seem fit to the Committee or are specifically referred to it by the House or the Speaker. The functions of the Committee shall be-
(a) to report what economies, improvements in organization, efficiency or administrative reform, consistent with the policy underlying the estimates, may be effected;
(b) to suggest alternative policies in order to bring about efficiency and economy in administration;
(c) to examine whether the money is well laid out within the limits of the policy implied in the estimates; and
(d) to suggest the form in which the estimates shall be presented to Parliament;
Provided that the Committee shall not exercise its functions in relation to such public undertakings as are allotted to the Committee on Public Undertakings by these rules or by the Speaker.”
The Committee continues the examination of the estimates from time-to-time throughout the financial year and may report to the House as its examination proceeds or on the conclusion of the examination.
(ii) THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF ITS OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
1. Work relating to constitution of the Committee, filling of casual vacancy, selection of subjects, formation of Sub-Committees/Study Groups, Association of Members of Estimates Committee with Government Committees.
2. Preparation of questionnaires for Preliminary Material, Official Evidence Material and Post Evidence Replies. The collection and distribution of aforesaid material.
3. Work connected with evidence of official/non-official witnesses.
Preparation of briefs and list of points on subjects for the use of Members during oral evidence.
4. Sittings of Estimates Committee. Preparation and circulation of minutes of the sittings.
5. Chalking out tour programmes, preparing list of points for informal discussions during tours, arranging of air/rail bookings/accommodation etc. Studying tour material for preparing supplementary questions for briefing the Chairman for discussion with officials. Preparing resume of study tour after tour. Settlement of bills received from the organizations relating to hotel accommodation, transport, etc. during the study tour.
6. Drafting/processing/printing of Original and Action Taken Reports and issuing of Press Release. Laying of Action Taken Statements etc.
7. Preparing Articles on Estimates Committee; Financial Committees – A Review; sending material for ‘The Journal of Parliamentary Information’ and Resume of work done during each session.
8. Studying Newspapers/Parliamentary Questions alongwith their Replies/ Parliamentary Debates and culling out relevant information pertaining to subjects under examination.
(iii) THE PROCEDURE FOLLOWED IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS INCLUDING CHANNELS OF SUPERVISION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
(a) Decision making process
The decision are taken by the Committee unanimously and reports are presented to the House by the Chairman on behalf of the Committee. The decision of the Committee regarding procedural and other matters are taken by the Chairman and the members of the Committee in accordance with
(i) The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha
(ii) Directions by the Speaker Lok Sabha
(iii) Precedent obtaining in the working of the Committee.
(b) Channels of Supervision
Committee officer/Assistant Director – Under Secretary/Deputy Secretary – Joint Secretary – Additional Secretary – Secretary – Secretary General – Chairman – Speaker.
(c) Accountability
Each officer is accountable for his/her work.
(iv) THE NORMS SET BY IT FOR THE DISCHARGE OF ITS FUNCTIONS
The subjects selected for examination after the constitution of new Committee are examined during the year and it is ensured that Report is presented during the year. In case due to some reasons the examination of a subject is not completed it is carried forward to next year. An Instructional Order is issued allocating the work amongst the officers of the Committee.
(v) THE RULES, REGULATIONS, INSTRUCTIONS, MANUALS AND RECORDS HELD BY IT OR UNDER ITS CONTROL OR USED BY EMPLOYEES FOR DISCHARGING ITS FUNCTIONS
The following rules, manuals, etc. are referred to by the employees for discharging their official duties :-
a) The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha;
b) Directions by the Speaker, Lok Sabha;
c) Internal Practice and Procedure of Committee;
d) Manual on Directions;
e) Manual on Rules, Rules of Procedure of the Estimates Committee (Internal Working);
f) Procedure and Practice of Estimates Committee (Internal Rules)
g) Material received from the Ministries/Departments.
h) Precedents Register
i) Orders/Guidelines issued by the Speaker from time to time.
j) Instructional Orders/Financial Orders issued by the Administration Branch/O & M Section from time to time.
k) Practice and Procedure of Parliament by Kaul and Shakdhar.
(vi) A STATEMENT OF THE CATEGORIES OF DOCUMENTS THAT ARE HELD BY IT OR UNDER ITS CONTROL
The following documents are kept by the Committee Secretariat:
(i) Annual Reports of Ministries under examination.
(ii) Printed original/action taken reports of the Committee.
(iii) Files/documents relating to the Reports, sittings etc. including proceedings, minutes, etc.
(iv) Introductory Guide.
(v) Procedure and Practice of Estimates Committee (internal rules).
(vii) THE PARTICULARS OF ANY ARRANGEMENT THAT EXISTS FOR CONSULTATION WITH OR REPRESENTATION BY THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN RELATION TO THE FORMULATION OF ITS POLICY OR IMPLEMENTATION THEREOF
Whenever it is decided by the Committee to invite the views of non officials a list showing the prominent non officials who have knowledge of the subject under examination shall be drawn up and put to the Chairman. After the selection of persons is made by him a letter to the non official concerned shall be addressed requesting him to furnish a memorandum. The Committee/Sub-Committee may call upon individual experts/representatives of non-official organizations who have submitted memoranda on the subjects under examination, to appear before it to give evidence.
In case a need is felt to invite opinion of public on a particular subject under examination the Committee may invite the same.
(viii) A STATEMENT OF THE BOARDS, COUNCILS, COMMITTEES AND OTHER BODIES CONSISTING OF TWO OR MORE PERSONS CONSTITUTED AS ITS PART OR FOR THE PURPOSE OF ITS ADVICE AND AS TO WHETHER MEETINGS OF THOSE BOARDS, COUNCILS, COMMITTEES AND OTHER BODIES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, OR THE MINUTES OF SUCH MEETINGS ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR PUBLIC
The Committee may from time to time appoint one or more Sub-Committees/Study Groups consisting of Members of the Committee for carrying out detailed examination of various subjects selected by the Committee. Appointments to the Sub-Committees/Study Groups are made by the Chairman after taking into account the wishes of the members to serve on them. For examination of estimates of the Ministry of Defence, a sub-Committee of the Committee on Estimates may be appointed under Rule 263(1) of the Rules of Procedure and entrusted with the task of examining the estimates of the Ministry of Defence and the Procedure for examination has been laid down under Direction 101 of the Directions by the Speaker Lok Sabha. Direction 101 deals with the procedure for
examining estimates relating to statutory and Government organizations not covered by Public Undertakings Committee. The Action taken Sub-Committee generally comprises the Convenors of all the Study Groups.
The functions of the different Study Group/Sub-Committees of the Committee as set out in Rule 2(4) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee (Internal Working) are reproduced below:-
“I. Study Groups dealing with a fresh subject :-
(1) To study intensively the material supplied by the Ministry/Department, etc.
(2) To prepare the questionnaire to be issued after the approval of the Chairman to the Ministry/Department ,etc.
(3) To undertake study tours and prepare study notes thereof.
(4) To indicate the broad points on which draft reports may be prepared.
(5) To discuss the draft report before circulation to the whole Committee.
II. Study Groups dealing with action taken by Government on
earlier Reports:-
(1) To scrutinize replies received from Government.
(2) To indicate points on which draft reports may be
prepared.
(3) To discuss draft report before circulation to the whole
Committee.
III. Action taken Sub-Committee to deal with the Action Taken
Reports.
To pursue with Government the implementation of recommendations made by the Estimates Committee in respect of selected Action Taken Reports.
IV. Study Group dealing with Procedural matters:
(1) To draw up the tentative programme of work for the Committee, Sub-Committees and Study Groups from time to time.
(2) To discuss procedural matters before they are referred to the whole Committee.
(3) To co-ordinate the work between the various Study Groups/Sub-Committees, etc.”
The sittings of the Committee are held in private. The verbatim proceedings of the sittings are treated as confidential and not shown to anyone who is not a member of the Committee. Only such papers as have been laid on the Table of the House are available for distribution or for reference.
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