Hampered by the absence of key ministers and a lack of unanimity on certain issues, the Cabinet today deferred important proposals such as approval of the Lokpal Bill, hike in petrol and diesel prices and a new distribution system for kerosene in rural areas. The new Lokpal Bill draft, which seeks to bring the Prime Minister under its purview, was discussed in detail, said sources. However, a decision was put off after Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav argued that the President and the judiciary need to be brought under the Bill’s purview too, sources added. ‘‘The Cabinet felt that more thinking was required before taking the Bill to the Parliament. The general view was there was a month to decide before Parliament is reconvened,’’ said sources. The Bill deals with probing corruption in high offices, including that of the PM. The Cabinet also postponed a decision on raising the price of petrol by Rs 1.60 a litre and diesel by Rs 0.65 a litre, with Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar away in Srinagar to attend a conference. According to sources, the issue was also deferred to allow Aiyar to get the approval of the Left parties first. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had also not taken up the price issue on October 15, pending wider consultations with UPA allies, particularly the Left. Before leaving for Srinagar, Aiyar said that he would be meeting the Left by Saturday to work out a consensus on the price rise. Last week, Aiyar met CPI leaders A B Bardhan and D Raja, and spoke to CPM’s Sitaram Yechuri on phone. Aiyar’s absence also meant that a proposed blueprint to revamp the delivery of kerosene was taken off the agenda. Under the new scheme, oil firms would be directly responsible for the quantity and quality of kerosene sold through the public distribution system. What was approved at the meeting: WHAT GOT THE NOD
