With reference to the powers of the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers, answer the following questions:

(i) The Cabinet Ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Two financial powers of the Cabinet are:

1. Budget — The Finance Minister prepares the Annual Budget containing the estimates of income and expenditure for the ensuing year. Though the budget is passed by Parliament, usually no changes are made in the budget figures against the wishes of the Cabinet.
2. Finances of the Government — The Cabinet is responsible for the expenditure of the government, for presenting the demand for grants and also for raising the necessary income by various means including taxation.

(ii) The ministers are individually responsible to the President.

Individual Responsibility — Each Minister is individually responsible for the functioning of his/her department and is answerable for its acts, omissions and lapses. The Ministers also hold office during the pleasure of the President and may be dismissed by him/her on the advice of the Prime Minister.

(iii) Four functions of the Prime Minister inside the Parliament are:

1. Leader of the Lok Sabha — As the Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in Parliament, he/she is said to be the leader of the House.
2. Spokesperson of the Government — The Prime Minister is the chief spokesman of the Government in the Parliament and makes all important announcements on national policies on the floor of the House.
3. Defender of Government Policies — The Prime Minister defends the Government in the Parliament. When a policy or a Minister comes under attack, the Prime Minister comes to defend the issue involved.
4. Intervention in case of Controversial Issues — On controversial issues such as the language issue, Centre-State relations or price-rise, if an ugly situation arises in any of the Houses, the matter generally ends with the intervention of the Prime Minister.