Navratnas to get more powers in appointments

Appointments in public sector units (PSUs), or at least in the Navratna PSUs, may have lesser political interference if the proposed move by...

Appointments in public sector units (PSUs), or at least in the Navratna PSUs, may have lesser political interference if the proposed move by the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) sees the light of the day.

In a recent meeting held by the PESB with the chairmen and managing directors of eight Navratna (GAIL CMD was not present in the meeting), it was decided that the board of directors of the Navaratna PSUs should review the job description, qualification and experience prescribed for the board level posts including those of the CMDs and forward the appropriate drafts to the secretary of PESB.

For transparency

• The entire exercise is expected to be completed in two-months time.
• However, the Navaratnas need to intimate their respective administrative ministries on the plans.
• This practice will be in sharp contrast to the present one, whereby the administrative ministries fix the qualification and experience for the board level posts including that of the CMDs.

Story continues below this ad

However, the Navratna need to intimate their respective administrative ministries on the drafts.

According to the decision taken in the meeting, the entire exercise is expected to be completed in two-months time, and then the PESB would finalise the job descriptions, latest by end of November. The board also decided that ‘‘the board of directors of the Navratna may review the job descriptions, including qualifications and experience for the board level posts, from time to time so that when changes are required they could be incorporated well in time before the actual vacancies crop up in the board of the Navratna’’.

This practice would be in sharp contrast to the present one, whereby the administrative ministries fix the qualification and experience for the board level posts including that of the CMDs for the Navratna. The administrative ministries do, however, take the recommendations of the PSUs but those are not binding upon the administrative ministries.

According to sources, PESB would hold another meeting in a couple of days on the same issue. Drafts from the various Navratna have already started coming in to PESB.

Story continues below this ad

Government sources also pointed out that the ‘‘basic intention is to make the PSU top brass apply their mind and make their participation mandatory. At present the issue remained a routine matter and hence most of the time it is left to the administrative ministries or else PESB acts on its own’’, sources said.

Apart from lesser interference from the administrative ministries, the move is also expected to expedite the process of selection in the Navratna. The Cabinet Committee on Appointments has already empowered the PESB to start the process of selection one year in advance. In the recent meeting, PESB has also asked the Navratna to prepare a list of their executives who are eligible to be considered for the board level posts and forward them to PESB under intimation to their respective administrative ministries.

The meeting was attended by the chairmen of SAIL, Bhel, IOC, ONGC, BPCL, HPCL, NTPC, and MTNL. Apart from the chairman of PESB, the meeting was also attended by S.S. Dawra, secretary, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pensions. Dawra was a special invitee in the meeting. Others present in the meeting included PESB members R.S.S.L.N. Bhaskarudu and A.K. Agarwal and PESB secretary R. Datta. Apart from these officials, K.K. Sinha, director (HR) of NTPC, also attended the meeting.