The empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on the decontrol of fuel prices, which met here on Monday, was forced to defer a decision on hiking fuel prices because four of its members were absent.
The absentees were Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, railway minister Mamata Banerjee, power minister Sushilkumar Shinde and road transport minister Kamal Nath.
Their absence prompted finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who heads the EGoM, to say, “Today it was not possible that all of them could attend. Thursday will be a Cabinet day. Normally all the ministers remain present. I will talk to them and, after talking to them, I will call the meeting. It will be done shortly.”
While Mr Sushilkumar Shinde was in Perth, Mr Kamal Nath was in Singapore.
It is said that Mr Pawar is unwell and is to undergo an operation. Ms Banerjee was in Kolkata.