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Introduction

  • The Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) are key parliamentary committees that include Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
  • These committees are aligned with various ministries and departments, functioning throughout the year to deliberate on a range of issues, including bills, budgets, and policy matters.

 

Body

  • Composition and Functioning
    • Currently, there are 24 DRSCs in India: 8 under the Rajya Sabha and 16 under the Lok Sabha.
    • These committees ensure that Parliament effectively addresses the growing complexity of governance.
  • Key Roles and Contributions
    • Scrutinizing Bills
      • Parliament’s limited session days (average of 67 days per year over the last decade) constrain in-depth discussions.
      • DRSCs, which meet year-round, ensure thorough examination of bills, filling the gap left by limited floor time.
    • Providing Technical Expertise
      • Parliamentary discussions often involve complex matters requiring specialized knowledge.
      • DRSCs facilitate interactions with domain experts and government officials, enhancing the understanding and deliberation of intricate issues.
    • Building Consensus
      • Televised sessions encourage MPs to adhere to party lines, while DRSCs’ closed-door meetings allow for free and frank discussions.
      • This setting helps build cross-party consensus on various issues.
    • Ensuring Financial Accountability
      • Only a small portion of the budget is debated on the floor of the House.
      • DRSCs thoroughly examine detailed expenditure estimates (Demand for Grants), allocation trends, ministry spending, utilization levels, and policy priorities.
    • Examining Policy Issues
      • DRSCs study policy issues within their respective ministries and make recommendations to the government.
      • The government must report on the status of these recommendations, leading to Action Taken Reports, which track the government’s responses and actions.

 

Conclusion

  • DRSCs have significantly enhanced Parliament’s efficacy in discharging its roles.
  • To further strengthen the committee system, periodic reviews of their functioning should be conducted.
  • Additionally, Parliament should engage in detailed discussions on the recommendations made by these committees to ensure continuous improvement in governance and accountability.

 

Examples in the Indian Context

  • GST Bill Scrutiny: The DRSCs played a pivotal role in examining and refining the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill before it was passed, ensuring that various stakeholders’ concerns were addressed.
  • Defense Expenditure Review: The DRSC on Defense periodically reviews defense expenditure, providing detailed reports that help in optimizing resource allocation and ensuring transparency in defense spending.
  • Health Sector Policy Recommendations: The DRSC on Health and Family Welfare has made significant recommendations on improving healthcare infrastructure, influencing policies such as the National Health Policy.
Legacy Editor Changed status to publish May 2, 2025