WELFARE STANDING COMMITTEE

Welfare Standing Committee: Handles the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, development of women and children, social security pensions, and poverty alleviation.

Standing Committees (Sections 162, 162A) Under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, standing committees are constituted in every Panchayat as detailed below. Standing committees serve as the support framework for the Panchayat to execute responsibilities across the development, welfare, and infrastructure sectors effectively, efficiently, and in a time-bound manner.

Before taking a decision on any matter, the Panchayat must scrutinize and examine it in detail. This preliminary scrutiny must first be conducted by the respective standing committee. Only after deliberation and decision-making within the standing committee meeting should subjects be placed on the Panchayat meeting's agenda. Once the Panchayat adopts a decision on such an item, the concerned standing committee is also responsible for ensuring its effective implementation. Resolutions passed by a standing committee must be placed before the subsequent meeting of the Panchayat. The Panchayat holds the power to modify them if necessary. The Secretary must attend all standing committee meetings and make the necessary arrangements to record minutes and decisions.

Structure of the Standing Committee

  • Only elected representatives serve as members of standing committees. Except for the President and Vice President, every member is an elected member of a standing committee.
  • A member cannot serve on more than one standing committee.
  • Each standing committee must compulsorily include at least one woman member.
  • The President is an ex-officio member without voting rights in all standing committees. However, the Vice President is an ex-officio member with voting rights and serves as the Chairperson of the Finance Standing Committee (Section 162(6)).

Powers and Responsibilities of Standing Committees Assigning every member to a standing committee ensures that the duties and responsibilities of the Panchayat are shared among all members. Ultimate responsibility rests with the Panchayat as a collective entity, not with any single individual or committee. Several mechanisms are embedded within the administrative framework to execute these responsibilities, the most significant being the standing committees.

All responsibilities vested in the Panchayat are divided among the various standing committees. Consequently, the Panchayat fulfills its statutory duties through these bodies. Standing committees are not independent entities, nor do they hold independent executive authority. Efficient administration, citizen participation, and decentralization are achieved when each standing committee carries out the duties statutorily delegated on behalf of the Panchayat.

All decisions taken by standing committees must be presented at the subsequent Panchayat meeting. The Panchayat holds the authority to amend these decisions if necessary (Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, Section 162A(3)).

Meetings of Standing Committees (The Kerala Panchayat Raj [Standing Committee] Rules, 2000)

  • Committees must convene at least once a month.
  • Meetings must be held at the Panchayat office on the date and time fixed by the Chairperson.
  • The respective standing committee must consider matters related strictly to the Panchayat's assigned duties. If different standing committees adopt conflicting resolutions on the same subject, the matter must be referred to the Panchayat for determination.
  • The quorum for a meeting is three. If the total number of voting members is four or fewer, the quorum is two.
  • Decisions on agenda items are resolved by a majority vote of the members present.
  • The Chairperson holds a casting vote in the event of a tie.
  • The meeting date and agenda items must be communicated to the President (as an ex-officio member) and displayed on the notice board.
  • A decision of a standing committee may be amended or revoked only through a resolution supported by more than half of the sanctioned member strength at a specially convened meeting. Any such amendment must be executed within three months.

Standing committees play a decisive role in the governance of local self-governments. Local administration becomes effective, rational, and scientific only when standing committees efficiently perform their designated duties.

Subjects Under the Purview of the Welfare Standing Committee Development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, development of women and children, social welfare, social security schemes, slum improvement, poverty alleviation, and the public distribution system.

Members of the Welfare Standing Committee

  • Chairperson: Sri. Abdul Salam P.A. (Member, Ward 5 – Narangathattu)
  • Members:
    • Sri. Binu Edan (Member, Ward 4 – Vendekkumchal)
    • Sri. Reneesh K.K. (Member, Ward 1 – Kunderi)