The Hindu : National : GoM meet on oil pricing put off

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Friday, Dec 14, 2007
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National

GoM meet on oil pricing put off

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Fearing an adverse impact of any hike in fuel prices on the outcome of Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the first meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on petroleum prices headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has been postponed and it is likely to meet sometime in January 2008.

The meeting was postponed as December 14 was not suitable to some of the Ministers who are part of the group. The next meeting is likely to take a view of the pricing issue, Petroleum Secretary M.S. Srinivasan said.

However, sources said that it was after a discussion between Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora and Mr. Mukherjee on December 12 that a decision to postpone the meeting was taken.

The GoM is to look into pricing of essential commodities, including petrol, diesel, cooking gas and PDS kerosene. It comprises Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister T.R. Baalu and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

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