New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a crucial meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs or CCPA — the most important committee of the cabinet that has also been dubbed the “Super Cabinet”. The meet comes after a round of meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security – the next one is due on Wednesday — following last week’s shocking massacre of tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
After the first round of the CCS meeting, the government had announced a series of non-military measures against Pakistan, including the freeze on the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting of the Attari border and cancellation of visas.
After another crucial meeting this evening with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, PM Modi gave the armed forces “complete freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing’ of India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack,” sources have said.
In this backdrop, tomorrow’s CCPA meet has raised speculation.
The CCPA had met last after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama in 2019 to review the security situation and formulate counter-strategies. The meet had signed off on the withdrawal of the Most Favoured Nation status given to Pakistan. Later, on February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force carried out the airstrike on terror camps in Balakot.
CCPA’s Function
The CCPA reviews and decides on important political and economic matters of the country and meets on crucial occasions.
The CCPA mainly considers the relations between the Centre and the states, especially when there is a need to form consensus.
Discussions and decisions are made on economic policies and internal security issues that have political implications.
It also helps with coordination between various ministries on issues that have far-reaching political consequences.
Besides, the CCPA also discusses and decides on foreign policy issues that are likely to have an impact on the country’s politics.
Members of the CCPA
The CCPA is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Road Transport and Traffic Minister Nitin Gadkari, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Health Minister JP Nadda, Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Women and Child Welfare Minister Annapurna Devi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy.
Cabinet ministers from allied parties have also been given a place in the CCPA.
