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1.3 LEVELS OF PUBLIC POLICIES FORMATION

Structure

Objectives

Introduction

Role of Cabinet

Cabinet Committees

Cabinet Secretariat

Cabinet Secretary

Role of Prime Minister

Prime Minister Office

National Development Council

Central Secretariat

Role of Administrators

Summing p

Model !uestions

Introduction:

Among t"e official po#er $policy% "olders t"e e&ecutive is t"e immediate or

'pro&imate( policy ma)er* +&ecutive is t"e closest to t"e point at #"ic" policy decisions

are made* Modern governments every#"ere rely on e&ecutive leaders"ip, bot" in policy

formulation and policy implementation* In a parliamentary system $suc" as India and

+ngland% #it" a cabinet structure, t"e governments mostly rely on t"eir bac) benc"ers

to provide t"em #it" t"e majorities necessary to conduct government business* In a

Presidential system suc" as in t"e S, t"e Congress e&pects t"e President to initiate or

send proposals for legislation* In most developing countries, t"e e&ecutive probably

plays a larger role in policy formulation because of a greater concentration of po#er in

t"e government*

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-"e Indian Constitution establis"ed a parliamentary type of e&ecutive in India bot" at

t"e centre and in t"e states* Alt"oug", t"e e&ecutive po#er is vested in t"e President at

t"e centre and t"e governors in t"e states, it is actually e&ercised by a Council of

Ministers #"ic" is dra#n from t"e legislature and is responsible to it* -"e Council of

ministers is a t"ree tier organisation consisting of t"e Cabinet Minister, Minister of

State and Deputy Minister* -"e council itself meets rarely and all t"e policy functions

are performed by t"e Cabinet* Policy.Ma)ing po#er and role of t"e e&ecutive are

e&amined under t"e follo#ing sections/

Role of Cabinet

Role of Prime Minister

Role of NDC and NI-I Aayog

Role of Secretariat Department and Ministry

Role of Administrative officials

Role o C!"inet:

In a parliamentary form of government suc" as in India, t"e office "olders $t"ose #"o

occupy formal offices prescribed b t"e Constitution as aut"oritative% #"o are immediate

or pro&imate policy ma)ers are t"e members of t"e cabinet* 0enerally, it is t"e Cabinet

#"ic" s"apes t"e public policies* -"e first source of t"e Cabinet is t"e rig"ts conferred

upon its members by t"e Constitution* -"e cabinet decides t"e policies #"ic" are to be

placed before t"e parliament for its approval* It is t"e real directing and controlling

aut"ority, bot" in administration and in legislation* 1or 2ennings, t"e cabinet is t"e core

of t"e constitutional system* Cabinet po#er flo#s from 't"e principle of unity(* -"e

cabinet acts as a collective body, #"ere ministers ta)e an integrated decision* -"e

principle of collective responsibility enables t"e cabinet to e&pect t"at its decisions #ill

be implemented as #ell as defended publicly by individual ministers* In t"is conte&t,

Mac)intos" #rites/ 3It is essential for a strong government to s"o# a united front in t"e

face of criticism4* -"is ensures a unity of purpose* -"e cabinet is able to control and

coordinate t"e #or) of t"e e&ecutive t"roug" t"e Cabinet Secretariat* In India, t"e

Cabinet Secretariat prepares t"e agenda for cabinet meetings, ta)es minutes, circulate

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decisions and follo#s t"em up to see t"at action "as been ta)en in t"e department* In

+ngland and in India eac" minister, #"et"er or not in t"e cabinet receives t"e decision

of t"e cabinet and it is "is responsibility to instruct "is department in so far as t"ey need

departmental action* -"e party system in cabinet government en"ances t"e po#er of t"e

e&ecutive leaders"ip #"ic" can control a parliamentary majority* -"e e&ecutive is

e&pected to get legislative support on t"e policies presented to t"e parliament by calling

on party unity and loyalty*

-"e broad t"eoretical frame #or) of t"e cabinet government in India is derived from

t"e 5ritis" model* -"e cabinet in India acts as a collective body #"ere minister ta)es an

integrated decision and acts as a decision ma)ing body on broad policy outlines as #ell

as specific matters related to it* -"e cabinet deliberates on major problems of policy

and administration* All )inds of policies affecting t"e federation are analysed in detail

in t"e cabinet before t"ey are presented to t"e parliament for t"eir approval* 5ut t"e

cabinet itself as a #"ole "as to be persuaded of t"e correctness of most of t"e decisions*

Alt"oug" t"e nion Cabinet "as a very important and c"allenging role to play in t"e

policy decisions, it is not #it"out s"ortcomings* 1or e&ample, during t"e emergency in

6789 it #as reduced to moc)ery* 0iving some reasons Mad"u:imaye points out/

3;it"in t"e cabinet, ministers are afraid to spea) out t"eir mind* Cabinet meetings are

not t"e forum of serious discussion of policies< t"ey are t"e occasions for competitive

adulation of t"e leader4*

C!"inet Co##ittee$:

On t"e analogy of t"e pattern evolved in t"e 5ritis" parliamentary system, cabinet

committees "ave been constituted at t"e union level for speedy disposal of business of

t"e cabinet* It may be said t"at t"e real business of collective decision ma)ing in t"e

central government ta)es place in cabinet committees rat"er t"an t"e entire cabinet* In

t"is conte&t Morrison observes/

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-"is device enables ministers to bargain and compromise #it" eac" ot"er and t"us

reduces pressure of #or) upon t"e cabinet* Conse=uently, it is left free to devote itself

to more important matters4* -"ese committees facilitate coordination in particular #ell

defined fields of administration as #ell as afford opportunities for reconciliation of

divergence of vie#s* -"us ministers #"o are not on t"e cabinet are members of one or

more committees* -"e number scope and members"ip of t"ese committees varies from

time to time to suite t"e situation confronting t"e Prime Minister* A Committee

compromises t"ree to eig"t members* -"e C"airman of a Committee is eit"er t"e prime

minister or a cabinet minister* -"e cabinet ma)es use of cabinet committees to facilitate

decision ma)ing in areas of political and economic significance* -"ese committees

c"ange according to t"ree re=uirements of t"e situation and occasionally temporary

committees are set up for a specific purpose* 1our suc" committees "ave ac=uired

importance under t"e governments in po#er at t"e centre/

6* -"e Political Affairs Committee/ -o deal #it" all important political =uestions

relating to domestic and foreign policies*>* -"e +conomic Affairs committee/ -o direct and coordinate government activity in

t"e economic field and generally to regulate t"e #or)ing of natural economy*

?* -"e Committee and Parliamentary affairs/ -o #atc" t"e progress of government

business in parliament to scrutinise and consider t"e attitude of t"e government on

all non.official bills and resolutions to be presented to parliament* And to maintain a

revie# from an all India point of vie# of legislation underta)en by state legislatures*

@* -"e Appointments Committee/ -o consider all recommendations and ta)e decisions

in respect to certain specified appointments pertaining to t"e central secretariat