Congress leaders Charanjit Singh Channi and Shashi Tharoor have retained their respective positions as chairpersons of key parliamentary standing committees following the reconstitution of department-related parliamentary panels on Saturday, October 3.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Channi will continue to head the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing, while Thiruvananthapuram MP Tharoor remains chairman of the Committee on External Affairs.
The reconstitution of the committees was carried out by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan. The new appointments and continuations take effect from September 26, according to the parliamentary bulletin.
Channi Continues to Head Agriculture Committee
Charanjit Singh Channi, Congress MP from Jalandhar, has been retained as chairman of the parliamentary panel dealing with agriculture, animal husbandry and food processing.
The committee examines matters related to agricultural policies, food production, farmers’ welfare, livestock development and the functioning of the ministries under its jurisdiction.
Its responsibilities include reviewing legislation, examining budgetary demands and assessing the implementation of government programmes.
Channi, who served as Punjab Chief Minister before entering Parliament, will continue to lead the committee during the new term.
Shashi Tharoor Retains External Affairs Panel
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has also been reappointed chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs.
The committee examines India’s foreign policy, diplomatic relations, international agreements and the functioning of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Tharoor’s continuation comes amid discussions within the Congress over his public positions on certain foreign policy matters, including Operation Sindoor.
The committee provides parliamentary scrutiny of India’s international engagements and can examine issues concerning bilateral and multilateral relations.
Several Other Parliamentary Committee Chiefs Retained
The latest reconstitution has retained several existing chairpersons across different parliamentary panels, while a few committees have new heads.
Congress leader Mukul Wasnik will continue to chair the committee on education, women, children and youth.
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav has retained the chairmanship of the Health and Family Welfare Committee.
Among other appointments, JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha will continue to head the committee on transport, tourism and culture, while Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne remains chairman of the energy panel.
BJP leaders Radha Mohan Singh and Radha Mohan Das Agarwal will head the committees on defence and home affairs, respectively.
Bhartruhari Mahtab will continue to chair the Finance Committee, while Anurag Thakur retains charge of the panel on coal, mines and steel.
Changes in Commerce and Other Panels
The reshuffle also brought changes to some committee leadership positions.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi has replaced Trinamool Congress leader Dola Sen as chairman of the Commerce Committee.
BJP MP Sujeet Kumar has been named chairman of the committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice, replacing Brij Lal.
Sudheer Gupta has taken over as chairman of the Railway Committee from C M Ramesh.
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has been appointed chairperson of the committee on chemicals and fertilisers, replacing Kirti Azad.
DMK MPs Tiruchi Siva and K Kanimozhi will continue to head the committees on industry and food, consumer affairs and public distribution, respectively.
Role of Parliamentary Standing Committees
Department-related parliamentary standing committees play an important role in legislative and administrative scrutiny.
They examine ministry budgets, proposed legislation, policy implementation and issues referred to them by Parliament. Their recommendations help lawmakers review government functioning and assess policy outcomes.
Each committee generally comprises members from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, ensuring representation from the two Houses.
The latest reconstitution establishes the leadership of these panels for the new term, with Channi and Tharoor continuing to head the agriculture and external affairs committees.