GoMs make 'informal' comeback

Scrapped by the Modi government soon after it assumed power, the Groups of Ministers have made a come back, albeit informally.

In the last one week, Modi has formed three informal ministerial panels to examine the much-delayed Seed Bill, the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill and to examine the feasibility of enhancing financial assistance to farmers whose crops have been damaged by untimely rainfall. Home Minister Rajnath Singh chairs two of the three ministerial panels dealing with farmers, while Finance Minister Arun Jaitley heads the panel on BIS Bill.

Besides, Rajnath, Jaitley and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh are members of the ministerial panel examining raising the financial assistance to farmers in the event of unseasonal rain. The panel on Seed Bill has the Agriculture Minister Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Food Minister Ramvilas Paswan and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as members.

The panel on BIS Bill has Paswan, Sitharaman, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Power Minister Piyush Goyal as members.