Having done away with scores of redundant laws, the Narendra Modi-led NDA dispensation is all to set get rid of several insignificant or non-functional tribunals which fall under the jurisdiction of various ministries. According to sources, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has formed an inter-ministerial group to study the possibility of merging various such tribunals, and there is a possibility that the existing 36 such bodies could be reduced to half.
Sources further said that the government has formed an inter-ministerial group to study the possibility of merging of several tribunals with the aim of reducing the administrative workload and duplication of functioning. The idea behind the initiative is basically to cut down on the dead wood within the administrative set-up.
Another reason is that there are several tribunals which don’t get much cases for hearing and therefore these could either be merged with bigger tribunals having similar nature of work, or disbanded. The core of the idea had come from a presentation made by a group of secretaries on good governance — which was among the many which Mr Modi had formed in January this year involving all secretaries of Union ministries with the aim of giving good ideas on improving overall administration — and subsequently the PMO formed an inter-ministerial panel to study the possibility of merging various tribunals. Some of the well known tribunals in the country are the Central Administrative Tribunal , Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal, and Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal, among others.
Meanwhile, a proforma has been sent to all the ministries, seeking their views on the merger of tribunals falling under their jurisdiction.
Once the comments are received from the ministries, the inter-ministerial panel will finalise its report and send it to the PMO.
The Modi dispensation has been taking several such initiatives to improve governance, like apart from abolishing old and redundant laws and planning to merge insignificant tribunals, it has even sought a performance review of several consultants working in Union ministries with the aim of streamlining this workforce, which is working on contractual basis.
