Parliamentary Forums – UPSC Notes – Indian Polity
Establishment of Parliamentary Forums
The initial Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management was formed in 2005. Since then, seven additional Parliamentary forums have been established. Presently, there are a total of eight Parliamentary forums:
- Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management (2005)
- Parliamentary Forum on Youth (2006)
- Parliamentary Forum on Children (2006)
- Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health (2006)
- Parliamentary Forum on Global Warming and Climate Change (2008)
- Parliamentary Forum on Disaster Management (2011)
- Parliamentary Forum on Artisans and Craftspeople (2013)
- Parliamentary Forum on Millennium Development Goals (2013)
Parliamentary Forum Objectives
The formation of Parliamentary forums aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Facilitating interactive sessions between members, relevant ministers, experts, and key officials from nodal ministries. This platform serves to foster focused and constructive discussions on pressing issues, to expedite implementation processes effectively.
- Enhancing members’ awareness regarding critical concerns and ground-level realities. Providing them with updated information, technical expertise, and valuable insights from national and international experts equips them to articulate these concerns effectively in parliamentary debates and Departmentally-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) meetings.
- Establishing a comprehensive database by gathering data on critical issues from concerned ministries, reputable NGOs, media sources, international organizations like the United Nations, and the internet. Dissemination of this information among members enables them to actively engage in forum discussions and seek clarifications from experts or ministry officials present during meetings.
It is important to note that the Parliamentary Fora are mandated not to infringe upon the jurisdiction of the Departmentally-Related Standing Committees of the relevant Ministry/Department.
Composition of the Parliamentary Forums
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha serves as the ex-officio President of all Forums except the Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health, where the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha holds this position, with the Speaker acting as the ex-officio Co-President. Additionally, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the relevant Ministers, and the Chairpersons of Departmentally-Related Standing Committees serve as ex-officio Vice-Presidents of the respective Forums.
Each Forum comprises a maximum of 31 members (excluding the President, Co-President, and Vice-Presidents), with no more than 21 from the Lok Sabha and no more than 10 from the Rajya Sabha. Members (excluding the President, Co-President, and Vice-Presidents) are nominated by the Speaker/Chairman from among the leaders of various political parties/groups or their nominees, who possess special knowledge or a keen interest in the subject.
The tenure of forum members aligns with their membership in the respective Houses, and they may resign by submitting a written request to the Speaker/Chairman.
The President of the forum appoints a member-convener for each forum to oversee regular, approved programs/meetings in consultation with the President. Forum meetings are convened as necessary during Parliament sessions.
Functions of the Parliamentary Forums
Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management:
- Identify Problems: Recognize issues pertaining to water and propose suggestions/recommendations for the consideration of the Government/ relevant organizations.
- Engage Parliamentarians: Explore methods to involve Members of Parliament in the conservation and enhancement of water resources within their respective states/constituencies.
- Promote Awareness: Organize seminars/workshops to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation and efficient management.
- Undertake Additional Tasks: Undertake any other related tasks deemed appropriate by the forum.
Parliamentary Forum on Youth:
- Strategic Deliberations: Conduct focused discussions on strategies to harness the potential of youth as a driving force for accelerating development initiatives.
- Raise Awareness: Increase awareness among public leaders and grassroots levels about the youth’s potential to bring about socio-economic change.
- Engage with Youth Representatives: Regularly interact with youth representatives and leaders to gain insights into their hopes, aspirations, concerns, and problems.
- Enhance Parliament’s Outreach: Explore ways to improve Parliament’s outreach to various segments of youth, fostering their trust and active engagement in democratic institutions.
- Consult with Experts: Hold consultations with experts, both national and international academicians, and government agencies to review and enhance public policy regarding youth empowerment.
Parliamentary Forum on Children:
- Raise Awareness: Heighten Parliamentarians’ awareness of critical issues impacting children’s well-being, enabling them to provide leadership ensuring children’s rightful inclusion in the development process.
- Facilitate Exchange: Provide a structured platform for Parliamentarians to exchange ideas, views, experiences, and best practices related to children through workshops, seminars, and orientation programs.
- Engage Civil Society: Establish a channel for Parliamentarians to interface with civil society, including voluntary, media, and corporate sectors, to highlight children’s issues and foster effective strategic partnerships.
- Connect with UN Agencies: Facilitate institutionalized interaction between Parliamentarians and specialized UN agencies like UNICEF, and other relevant multilateral agencies, enabling access to expert reports, studies, and global trend analyses in the sector.
- Undertake Additional Tasks: Undertake any other tasks, projects, assignments, etc., as deemed appropriate by the Forum.
Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health:
- Focused Deliberations: Conduct focused discussions on strategies for population stabilization and associated matters.
- Develop Strategies: Prepare strategies concerning public health issues through thorough deliberations.
- Raise Awareness: Promote greater awareness across all segments of society, especially at the grassroots level, regarding population control and public health concerns.
- Engage with Experts: Facilitate comprehensive dialogues with experts at the national and international levels on population and public health matters. This includes interactions with multilateral organizations such as WHO, United Nations Population Fund, as well as engagement with academicians and relevant government agencies.
Parliamentary Forum on Global Warming and Climate Change:
- Problem Identification and Recommendations: Identify issues concerning global warming and climate change and propose suggestions/recommendations to the government/organizations for actions aimed at reducing the extent of global warming.
- Engage Parliamentarians with Specialists: Determine avenues for Parliamentarians to engage with specialists from national and international bodies working on global warming and climate change. Emphasize efforts to develop new technologies for mitigating global warming.
- Awareness Seminars/Workshops: Organize seminars and workshops to increase awareness among Parliamentarians about the causes and impacts of global warming and climate change.
- Parliamentarians’ Role in Awareness Spreading: Identify methods for involving Parliamentarians in raising awareness to prevent global warming and climate change.
- Undertake Additional Tasks: Undertake any other related tasks deemed appropriate by the Forum.
Parliamentary Forum on Disaster Management:
- Problem Identification and Recommendations: Identify issues related to disaster management and propose suggestions/recommendations to the government/organizations for actions aimed at reducing the impact of disasters.
- Engage Parliamentarians with Disaster Management Specialists: Determine avenues for Parliamentarians to interact with specialists from national and international bodies working on disaster management. Emphasize efforts to develop new technologies for mitigating the effects of disasters.
- Awareness Seminars/Workshops: Organize seminars and workshops to increase awareness among Parliamentarians about the causes and effects of disasters.
- Parliamentarians’ Role in Awareness Spreading: Identify methods for involving Parliamentarians in spreading awareness about disaster management.
- Undertake Additional Tasks: Undertake any other related tasks deemed appropriate by the Forum.
Parliamentary Forum on Artisans and Craftspeople:
- Enhance Awareness: Increase Parliamentarians’ awareness of critical issues impacting artisans and craftspeople, aiming to preserve and promote traditional arts and crafts through various mechanisms.
- Facilitate Idea Exchange: Provide a structured platform for Parliamentarians to exchange ideas, views, experiences, expertise, and best practices related to artisans and craftspeople through workshops, seminars, and orientation programs.
- Engage Civil Society: Establish a channel for Parliamentarians to interface with civil society, including the voluntary, media, and corporate sectors, to highlight issues related to craftspeople and artisans and foster effective strategic partnerships.
- Interact with Government Bodies: Enable Parliamentarians to interact in an institutionalized manner with representatives from various Union Ministries, Government Organizations such as Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Coir Board, The Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), and other related organizations/bodies.
- Dialogue with Experts: Hold comprehensive dialogues and discussions on matters relating to the preservation of art and traditional crafts and the promotion of artisans and craftspeople with experts and organizations at the national and international levels.
- Undertake Additional Tasks: Undertake any other tasks, projects, assignments, etc., as deemed appropriate by the Forum.
Parliamentary Forum on Millennium Development Goals:
- Enhance Awareness: Review and enhance Parliamentarians’ awareness of critical issues affecting the achievement of goals/targets set under the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
- Facilitate Idea Exchange: Provide a platform for Parliamentarians to exchange ideas, views, experiences, expertise, and best practices related to the implementation of Millennium Development Goals through workshops, seminars, and orientation programs.
- Engage Civil Society: Establish a channel for Parliamentarians to interface with civil society, highlighting issues related to Millennium Development Goals, including eradication of poverty, hunger, universal primary education, gender equality, child mortality reduction, maternal health improvement, HIV/AIDS and disease control, environmental sustainability, and global partnership for development.
- Interact with Specialized Agencies: Enable Parliamentarians to interact in an institutionalized manner with specialized UN agencies and other comparable multilateral agencies, expert reports, studies, news, and trend analyses regarding the achievement of Millennium Development Goals.
- Undertake Additional Tasks: Undertake any other tasks, projects, assignments, etc., as deemed appropriate by the Forum.
FAQs on Parliamentary Forums
1. What is the purpose of establishing Parliamentary Forums?
- Parliamentary Forums serve as platforms for focused and constructive discussions among members, relevant ministers, experts, and key officials to expedite the implementation of critical issues effectively. They aim to enhance awareness among members regarding pressing concerns and ground-level realities while establishing a comprehensive database on various issues.
2. How are members selected for Parliamentary Forums?
- Members (excluding the President, Co-President, and Vice-Presidents) are nominated by the Speaker/Chairman from among the leaders of various political parties/groups or their nominees, who possess special knowledge or a keen interest in the subject. Each Forum comprises a maximum of 31 members, with a balanced representation from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
3. What are the functions of Parliamentary Forums?
- Parliamentary Forums undertake various functions tailored to their specific areas of focus. These functions include identifying problems, engaging parliamentarians, promoting awareness, undertaking additional tasks, and facilitating exchanges with relevant stakeholders such as civil society, UN agencies, and government bodies.
4. How do Parliamentary Forums contribute to addressing global issues such as climate change and disaster management?
- Forums dedicated to global issues like climate change and disaster management identify problems, propose recommendations, engage parliamentarians with specialists, organize awareness seminars/workshops, and undertake additional tasks as necessary. They serve as platforms for informed discussions and actions aimed at mitigating the impacts of these global challenges.
5. What is the role of Parliamentary Forums in promoting cultural heritage and development goals?
- Forums focused on cultural heritage, artisans, and achieving development goals play crucial roles in enhancing awareness, facilitating idea exchange, engaging civil society, interacting with government bodies, and dialogue with experts. They work towards preserving cultural heritage, promoting traditional crafts, and advancing development agendas outlined in initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals.
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