PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (PMO)

About:

• What is it? PMO consists of the immediate staff of the Prime Minister of India, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the Prime Minister.
  
  
• History: This executive body was formed in 1947. The PMO was originally called the Prime Minister's Secretariat until 1977, when it was renamed during the Morarji Desai ministry.
  
  
• Principal Secretary: The PMO is headed politically by PM and administratively by the Principal Secretary (currently Nripendra Misra).
  • During the tenure of Nehru as PM, the then Prime Minister's Secretariat was headed by a Joint Secretary until his death.
    
    
  • The post of Principal Secretary to PM was created during the tenure of Indira Gandhi.
    
    
  
  
  
• Location: It is located in the South Block (Secretariat Building) New Delhi.
  
  
• Functions: Following 5 key functions are assigned to the PMO in the Government of India Allocation of business rules 1961 (as amended in 1970) –
  • To deal with all references that have, under the rules of business, come to the Prime Minister.
    
    
  • To help the Prime Minister in respect of his/her overall responsibilities as head of Government. It includes liaison with the Union Ministries and the state Governments on matters in which the Prime Minister maybe interested.
    
    
  • To help the Prime Minister in the discharge of his responsibilities as the chairman of the Planning Commission (Now replaced by NITI Aayog).
    
    
  • To deal with the public relations side of the Prime Minister's office, that is, relations with the press, public.
    
    
  • To assist the Prime Minister in the examination of cases submitted to him for orders under prescribed rules.