CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION AND ORGANISATIONAL SET-UP

Introduction

1.1 In a parliamentary form of government, the day-to-day working of the parliamentary system makes large claims on time and resources of the various ministries/departments. Over a period of time, the parliamentary programme covers numerous intricate matters-financial, legislative and non-legislative--concerning various ministries/departments of the government. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, though small in size, is one of the key ministries of the Union Government. The task of efficiently handling diverse and enormous parliamentary work on behalf of the government in the Parliament has been assigned to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. As such, the Ministry serves as an important link between the two Houses of Parliament and the government in respect of government business in Parliament. Created in May, 1949, as a department entrusted mainly with the above function, it is now a full-fledged ministry.

1.2 The functions assigned to the Ministry under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, framed under Article 77(3) of the Constitution of India are in Appendix I.

1.3 The Ministry renders secretarial assistance to the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, which, inter-alia recommends prorogation of both the Houses of the Parliament, approves/decides Government’s stand on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions.

1.4 The Ministry keeps a close contact with the ministries/departments of the government in respect of bills pending in the Parliament, new Bills to be introduced and bills to replace ordinances. The Ministry keeps a watch over the progress of bills from the stage of approval by the Cabinet till the bill is passed by both Houses of the Parliament. In order to ensure smooth passage of bill, in Parliament, officials of the Ministry have to be in constant touch with the officials of ministries/departments sponsoring the bills and the Ministry of Law and Justice which drafts the bills.

1.5 The Ministry constitutes the Consultative Committees of Members of Parliament and makes arrangements for holding their meetings both during the session and the inter-session periods. At present there are 30 such committees attached to various ministries. The guidelines regarding the composition and functioning of these committees are formulated by this Ministry. Notifications in respect of any sub-committees/study groups set up by the consultative committees are also issued by the Ministry.

1.6 The Ministry pursues with the other ministries for prompt and proper implementation of assurances given by ministers in the Parliament.

1.7 The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs looks after the welfare of the Members of Parliament. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates Members of Parliament in various government delegations visiting abroad. The Ministry also administers the leaders and Chief Whips of Recognised Parties and Groups in Parliament (Facilities) Act, 1998.

1.8 With a view to strengthening the roots of democracy and inculcating habits of discipline and tolerance and for enabling the students community to have intimate knowledge of the working of Parliament, the Ministry conducts Youth Parliament Competitions in the schools of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and universities/colleges all over the country.

1.9 Parliamentarians in any country contribute to the shaping of foreign policy and relations with other countries. Particularly in the present international scenario, it is necessary and useful for the Government of India to choose certain Members of Parliament and utilise their expertise and services effectively for winning over their counterparts in other countries to our side by explaining our policies, achievements, problems and future visions in various areas. With these objectives in view, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs sponsors government delegations of Members of Parliament to other countries and also organises the visits of government sponsored delegation of MPs from other countries to India.

Organisational Set-up

1.10 The Ministry continued to function under the charge of a Cabinet Minister assisted by ministers of State. The names etc. of the Cabinet Minister/ministers of State who held the charge of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs during the period under report, are as under:

I. Ministers who relinquished the charge of the Ministry on January 29, 2003:

Shri Pramod Mahajan

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Communications and Information Technology.

Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar

Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

Shri O. Rajagopal

Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation.

II. Ministers holding or who held the charge of the Ministry w.e.f. or after January 29, 2003:

1. Smt. Sushma Swaraj

Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs (w.e.f. 29.1.2003)

2. Shri O. Rajagopal

Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (w.e.f. 30.1.2003)

3. Shri Vijay Goel

Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Labour (from 29.1.2003 to 24.05.2003)

4. Smt. Bhavanaben Devrajbhai Chikalia

Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism & Culture (w.e.f. 29.1.2003)

5. Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar

Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Parliamentary Affairs (w.e.f. 24.5.2003). (However, on 8.9.2003, he relinquished the charge of the Minister of State for Labour and assumed the charge of the Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises).

1.11 On the administrative side, the Ministry is headed by a Secretary to the Government of India who is assisted by one Joint Secretary, three Deputy Secretaries and six Under Secretaries.

ORGANISATIONAL CHART OF MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AS ON 31.12.2003

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SECRETARY

(8-Parliament House, New Delhi-110 001.Tel.-23017663,23034644,

e-mail – secympa@sansad.nic.in

JOINT SECRETARY

(87-Parliament House, New Delhi-110 001. Tel.-23017893,23034734,

e-mail - jsmpa@sansad.nic.in

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DS(A)                                                                            DS(L)                                                                      DS(R&C)
        |                                                                                     |                                                                                    |
-----------------------------------                          ------------------------------------                        ----------------------------------
|                                          |                          |                                           |                        |                                         |
US(A)                           US(I)                 US(L)                                 US(C)            US(R&C)                       US(ME) |                                          |                          |                                           |                        |                                         |
----------------          --------------        ----------------                        ---           ---------------            -------------
|          |           |          |                    |        |                       |                          |               |                   |             |                |
SO   SO      SO      SO                SO   SO                  SO                       SO           SO            H.O.         SO         SO

(A) (A&P) (G) (Imp.I) (Imp.II) (L-I) (L-II) (C) (R&C) (ME) (P&W)

SO(MINISTER'S PERSONAL SECTION)

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