The Indian Express, New Delhi, has used the Right to Information Act to obtain information about absenteeism from meetings of the Union cabinet since the United Progressive Alliance government came to power. And the findings are, well, predictable.
Only prime minister Manmohan Singh has cent-per-cent attendance in all the 217 meetings. Defence minister A.K. Antony and water resources minister Saifuddin Soz too have an impeccable record, but they joined the ministry mid-way.
Except home minister Shivraj Patil and law minister H.R. Bharadwaj no minister has more than 90 per cent attendance. Railway minister Lalu Prasad attended less than one in two. Many ministers were absent from meetings when a proposal from his or her ministry was up for discussion.
Read the full story: The case of the missing cabinet
Tags: Churumuri, Manmohan Singh, Sans Serif, The Indian Express, United Progressive Alliance, UPA
31 August 2008 at 10:04 am
Most of them have 80% attendance.Thats fine.
31 August 2008 at 12:57 pm
WHY SHOULD THEY ATTEND THE MEETINGS? No need. Even if they attend they cannot get anything done for their ministry/constituence because the Hich Command decides everything. Instead of attending the meetings and yawning they can as well do it sittning in their chambers.
31 August 2008 at 2:07 pm
Well, if Prime minister, who usually chairs the meeting, can’t attend the meeting, it will be called off and rescheduled at a later date convenient to him. That’s why he has 100%