Congress Chairs Four Key Committees for 2024-2025 Parliamentary Session

The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committees for 2024-2025 have been formed, with Congress chairing four major panels. Rahul Gandhi joins the Defence committee. The committees include members from both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, with notable appointments from BJP, TMC, DMK, and others.

The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committees for 2024-2025 were constituted on Thursday, with Congress members chairing four of the key panels, including the External Affairs committee. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been appointed as a member of the Defence standing committee.

Each committee comprises members from both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. Congress has secured the chairmanship of four influential panels. Digvijaya Singh will head the Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports committee, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will lead the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing committee, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka will chair the Rural and Panchayati Raj committee, and Shashi Tharoor will preside over the External Affairs committee.

The Defence committee will be led by BJP's Radha Mohan Singh, with Bhartruhari Mahtab chairing the Finance committee. Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur and Rajiv Pratap Rudy have been appointed to head the Coal, Mines and Steel committee, and the Water Resources committee respectively. BJP's Nishikant Dubey will chair the Communications and Information Technology committee, while Dr. Radha Mohan Das Agrawal will head the Home Affairs committee. TMC's Dola Sen will lead the Commerce committee.

Health and Family Welfare will be overseen by Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, and Tiruchi Siva of the DMK will head the Industry panel. This committee will focus on commerce, trade policies, and economic development, ensuring effective contribution to the nation's economy.

The Communications and IT committee includes members such as SP's Jaya Bachchan, SS-UBT's Priyanka Chaturvedi, BJD's Sushmit Patra, and INC's KTS Tulsi from the Upper House, alongside BJP MPs Anil Baluni, Kangana Ranaut, Poonam Madam, and TMC's Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha. Major BJP allies will also chair key committees: Energy (Shiv Sena's Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne), Housing and Urban Affairs (TDP's Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy), and Petroleum and Natural Gas (NCP's Sunil Tatkare).

JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha will head the Transport, Tourism and Culture committee, while TDP's Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy will chair the Housing and Urban Affairs committee. A tribute event commemorating the birth anniversary of former Lok Sabha Speaker GMC Balayogi will be held on October 1, 2024, in Central Hall, Samvidhan Sadan.

(With inputs from agencies.)