Answer:

♤ Cabinet Secretariat is a very important institution in the structure of central administration. It is responsible for secretarial assistance to the cabinet, its committees and ad hoc Group of Ministers, and for maintenance of record of their decisions and proceedings. Prime Minister is the political head while Cabinet Secretary is the administrative head of the Cabinet Secretariat.

♤ Cabinet Secretariat functions are creative in the sense that it it prepares agenda for the cabinet meetings. Its primary responsibility is to provide such information and material as necessary for deliberations of the cabinet, Cabinet Committees, Group of Ministers and Committee of Secretaries.

♤ Cabinet Secretariat has to facilitate smooth transaction of business in ministries/departments by ensuring adherence to ‘transaction of business’ and ‘allocation of business’ rules. Its role is functional as it has to monitor the implementation of the decisions of the Cabinet.

♤ An important function of the Cabinet Secretariat is to ensure that the President, the Vice-President and Ministers are kept informed of the major activities of all ministries and departments by means of monthly summary of their activities. So it plays a major informative role in the functioning of the central government.

♤ Cabinet Secretariat also assists in the decision-making of the government by ensuring inter-ministerial co-ordination. It helps in ironing out differences among ministries and evolving consensus through the standing/ad hoc committees of secretaries. So it plays a major coordinative role as well.

♤ By preparing the agenda for cabinet meetings, taking minutes, circulating decisions and following them up to see that action has been taken, the Cabinet Secretariat is playing a very important role.