Amendment in the Fifth Schedule to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha

## Report on Amendments to the Fifth Schedule to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes amendments to the Fifth Schedule of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, as published in the Gazette of India on November 23, 2021. The core purpose of these amendments is to revise the departmental affiliations of various Lok Sabha Committees, likely to better align oversight responsibilities. The key finding is a shift in committee jurisdictions, particularly within the agriculture, communications and labour sectors. **2. Introduction:** This report aims to provide an informative overview of the amendments to the Fifth Schedule of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, based solely on the official notification published in the Gazette of India on November 23, 2021. The report focuses on the nature of the changes, their likely rationale, and potential implications for the affected sectors. **3. Policy Overview:** * **Type:** Amendment * **Original Policy:** Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha Sixteenth Edition. * **Core Objective(s):** To update and revise the departmental affiliations and jurisdictions of various Lok Sabha Committees, ensuring appropriate oversight and alignment with current government structures and priorities. (Inferred from the changes being made.) **4. Background and Rationale:** The amendments likely stem from a need to reflect changes in government ministry structures, department re-allocations, and evolving policy priorities. The changes ensure that Lok Sabha Committees have clear and relevant oversight responsibilities for the corresponding government departments. The specific amendments suggest a desire to improve committee focus and potentially address gaps in oversight within sectors like agriculture, communications, and labour. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** The amendments involve revisions to the "Existing" and "As Revised" columns in Part I and Part II of the Fifth Schedule, which details committee names and their associated ministries/departments. Significant changes include: * **Committee on Agriculture:** The existing oversight of "Agriculture, Animal Welfare, Husbandry and Food Processing" has been amended to now oversee "Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Food Processing Industries" and "Cooperation." The addition of Cooperation is a significant change to the remit of the committee. * **Committee on Communications and Information Technology:** The amended committee on communications will now oversee "Communications" and "Electronics and Information Technology". It drops the "Information and Broadcasting" that was previously within the remit of this committee. * **Committee on Labour:** The Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development's oversight of "Labour and Employment", "Textiles" and "Skill Development" has been changed. The new wording is oversight of "Labour", "Textiles" and "Skill Development and Entrepreneurship". **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The direct target audience is the Lok Sabha Committees themselves. The stakeholders affected include: * Government Ministries and Departments now under the revised oversight of these committees (e.g., Ministry of Cooperation, Department of Fisheries). * Members of Parliament serving on these committees. * Industries and organizations affected by the policies and activities of the relevant government ministries and departments. * Citizens whose interests are represented by the effective functioning of these committees. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible agency/bodies:** The Speaker of Lok Sabha, in consultation with the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, is responsible for implementing these amendments. * **Timelines or procedures:** The notification is effective immediately upon publication in the Gazette of India (November 23, 2021). The revised committee structures and jurisdictions are expected to be implemented in the functioning of the Lok Sabha Committees from that date forward. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The intended outcome of these amendments is more effective and focused oversight by the Lok Sabha Committees. Specifically: * **Agriculture Committee:** Enhanced scrutiny of policies related to Farmers Welfare, Fisheries, and Dairying, and potentially a new focus on the Cooperation sector. * **Communications Committee:** Potentially streamlined oversight of communications and electronics/IT sectors. * **Labour Committee:** A sharper focus on skills development and entrepreneurship within the labour sector. These changes could lead to more informed policy debates, improved accountability of government departments, and ultimately, better outcomes for the affected sectors. **9. Conclusion:** The amendments to the Fifth Schedule of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha represent a significant update to the committee structure and oversight responsibilities within the Indian Parliament. The changes, particularly in the agriculture, communications, and labour sectors, reflect evolving government priorities and a desire for more effective parliamentary oversight. These revisions will likely have a notable impact on the functioning of Lok Sabha Committees and their engagement with the corresponding government departments.

Key Entities Referenced