XI

 CHAPTER XI 

REVIEW OF THE BUDGET—III 

  Committee on Estimates  

109. The committee on Estimates is a Committee constituted by the Legislative Assembly for the examinations of such of the estimates as it deems fir or are specially referred to it by the House, and to suggest measures aimed at improving efficiency and effecting economy. The functions of the Committee on Estimates and the provisions relating to its constitution, etc., as laid down in rules 233 to 235 of the “Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Kerala Legislative Assembly”, and the Rules of Procedure of the Committee, framed under rule 206 ibid, are reproduced below: 

🆀Committee constituted by Legislative Assembly to suggest means for improving efficiency and effecting economy in administration is called:
(A) Subject Committee
(B) Public Accounts Committee
(C) Public Undertakings Committee
(D) Estimates Committee
Correct Answer:-Option:(D) Estimates Committee

🆀The function to report what economic improvements in organisation, efficiency, or administrative reform consistent with the policy underlying the estimates, may be effected is entrusted with the:
(A) Public Accounts Committee
(B) Committee on Estimates
(C) Committee on Public Undertakings
(D) Rules Revision Committee
Correct Answer:-Option:(B)Committee on Estimates 

233. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES 

There shall be a Committee on estimates for the Examination of such of the estimates as may seem fir to the Committee or are specially referred to it by the Assembly or the Speaker. 

The functions of the Committee shall be— 

(a) to report what economies, improvements in organisation, 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 the Assembly: 

Provided that the Committee shall not exercise its functions in relation to public undertakings specified in the Fourth Schedule and such other public undertakings as may be notified by the Government as such, form time to time. 

234. CONSTITUTION OF COMMITTEE

The Committee shall consist of eleven members who shall be elected by the Assembly, as soon as may be after the commencement of the financial year for a period of two years, from among its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote: 

Provided that a Minister shall not be elected a member of the Committee, and that if a member, after his election to the Committee, is appointed a Minister, he shall cease to be a member if the Committee from the date of such appointment. 

235. EXAMINATION OF ESTIMATES BY COMMITTEE 

The Committee may continue the examination of the estimates from time to time throughout the financial year and report to the Assembly as its examination proceeds. It shall not be incumbent on the Committee to examine the entire estimates of any one year. The demands for grant may be finally voted notwithstanding the fact that the Committee ha made no report. 

RULES OF PROCEDURE (INTERNAL WORKING) 

The following rules are supplemental to the provisions contained in Rules 179 to 210 and 233 to 235 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Kerala Legislative Assembly:— 

1. The Committee will select from time to time a department, a section of a departments whose estimates are to be examined by them. 

2. At the beginning of each financial year, the Committee will make a selection of subjects covering any part of the estimates of department or departments to be examined b them during the year under review. The department or departments of the Secretariat will be asked sufficiently in advance to collect all relevant information relating thereto for submission to the Committee. 

3. The department or departments of the Secretariat concerned will be asked in writing by the Secretary of the Committee to furnish necessary materials in support of the estimates for the information of the Committee. The form in which the material is to be furnished to the Committee shall be as follows:— 

(1) The organisation of the department and its attached and subordinate offices (The information should be supported by short explanatory notes). 

(2) The functions of the department and its attached and subordinate offices. 

(3) Broad details on which the estimates are based. 

(4) Volume of work in the department and its attached and subordinate offices, covering the period of estimates and giving, for the purposes of comparison, corresponding figures of the past three years. 

(5) Scheme or projects which the department has undertaken. (The name and details of the scheme of expenditure, period within which it is likely to be completed, yield, if any, and progress made up-to-date, should be state.) 

(6) Actual expenditure incurred under each sub-head of estimates during the preceding three years. 

(7) Reasons for variations, if any, between the actuals of the past years and the current estimates. 

  (8) Reports, if any, issued by the departments of the Secretariat on its working. 

 (9) Any other information that the Committee may call for or the department of the Secretariat may think it proper to furnish to the Committee. 

4. The secretariat department concerned will furnish thirty sets of papers referred to in paragraph 3 to the Legislature Secretariat. 

5.  As soon as the papers are received in the Legislature Secretariat, they will be circulated to the members. 

6. The members, after going through the papers, may frame questions in which further information is required by them. These question or points shall be sent to the Legislature Secretariat at least seven days in advance of the meeting. Where the Committee meets at short notice, the period of seven days referred to above may be reduced under orders of the Chairman. 

7.  The members may similarly send their suggestions, if any, for the consideration of the Committee three days in advance of the date of the meetings. 

8. The points and suggestions referred to in paragraph 6 and 7 above shall be circulated to members from time to time in advance of the meeting. Advance copies of the points and suggestions shall also be sent to the Secretariat department concerned for preparing necessary relies. A copy of the points and suggestions shall also be furnished to the Finance Department. 

9.  The Committee shall have power to require the attendance of persons or the production of papers or records, if such a course is considered necessary for the discharge of its duties. 

10.  On the date or dates when the Committee meets to consider the estimates, the Secretary to Government concerned or Head of the Department and a representative of the Finance Department will attend, in order to explain the details of the estimate and to furnish each information as the Committee may require. 

11.  The Chairman of the Committee will call one by one the points or questions as set out on the order paper and the representative of the department concerned or of the Finance Department will explain the position. If the point needs further elucidation, other members may be permitted by the Chairman to put oral questions. The representative of the Department concerned or of the Finance Department may either reply to such points at the time or arrange to furnish the information later. 

12. The Secretary shall note the points on which further information is required by the Committee and, under the direction of the Chairman, take such action as may be necessary. 

13. A record of the proceedings of each meetings of the Committee shall be kept by the Secretary. 

14. Relevant potions of speeches will be forwarded to the members and the officials tendering evidence before the Committee, for correction and return within 48 hours of their receipt. If corrected copies of speeches are not received back from members, the reporter’s copy will be treated as authentic. 

15.  The proceedings will be treated as confidential. The verbatim proceedings will be treated as confidential. The member of the Committee. Only such papers as have been laid on the table of the House will be available for the distribution or for reference outside the Committee. 

16. The Secretary shall, as soon as possible, prepare draft minutes for the meetings of the Committee for approval and signature by the Chairman. As soon as minutes of each session are completed, they should be got printed for presentation to the Legislature. 

17. When the examination of any part of the estimates has been completed, the Committee may frame their recommendations. 

18.  Each draft report or section thereof will be considered as a meeting of the Committee and will embody the decisions of the majority of the members present and voting. 

19.  In the case of equality of votes, the Chairman shall decide the issue by a casting vote. 

20. There shall be no minutes of dissent. 

21. When the Committee is considering the draft report or formulating to views on any matter, no one who is not a member or an officer of the Secretariat of the Committee shall be present at such meeting. 

22. An advance copy of the report, marked as secret, will be sent to the Secretary to Government concerned, for verification of factual details and for such action as may be necessary, copies thereof being supplied to the Finance Department, the Minister concerned and also to the Chief Minister. Copies may also be furnished to such other authorities, either for information or for action, as the Chairman may direct. The recipients of the report  shall be rejoined to treat the contents thereof as secret, until it is presented to the Legislature.

23. The Chairman may make such factual changes in the draft report as he may think fit on the basis of the changes intimated by the Secretary to Government concerned, before the report is presented to the Legislature. 

24. The Chairman will sign the report on behalf of the Committee. 

25. As soon as each report has been completed, it will be printed for presentation to the Legislature. In case, due to unforeseen circumstances, printed copies are not available by the scheduled date of presentation, a type-written copy of the report will be presented to the Legislature, and printed copies supplied to members later. 

26. The reports or minutes shall ordinarily be presented to the House by the Chairman, but if he is unable to do so on any account, one of the members of the Committee may present the reports or minutes on his behalf. 

27. The Committee shall meet as such time and for such period as the Chairman may determine from time to time. 

28. If the Committee is divided in to Sub-Committees, the procedure of each Sub-Committee shall be the same as of the whole Committee. 

29. Under the direction of the Chairman, the Secretary may arrange for publishing the activities of the Committee for the information of the public. 

30. The Secretary will keep an account of the expenses incurred on the meetings of the Committee. 

31. Any additional points of procedure which are formulated from time to time shall be incorporated in these rules. 

🆀. The members of Estimates Committee will be elected by the :

(A) Members of Legislative Assembly

(B) Revenue Minister 

(C)Chief Minister

(D) Finance Minister 

Correct Answer:-Option:(A) Members of Legislative Assembly

🆀. ...................will keep an account of the expenses incurred on the meeting of Legislature Committee on Estimates.

(A) Chairman

(B) Secretary 

(C) Persons authorised by Chairman

(D) Accounts Officer

Correct Answer:-Option:((B)

🆀.In KBM which para dealt with committee on estimates:

(a) Para 99 

(b) Para 109 

(c) Para 89 

(d) Para 119 

110. The instructions contained in Appendix 15 will apply mutatis mutandis to matters pertaining to the Committee on Estimates as well. 

TEXT BOOK INDEX -CHAPTER VIII		Paras
Budget Estimates—
	examination by Estimates Committee	6, 98(2), 109
Estimates Committee		6, 109, 110