ONGC officers urge early appointment of CMD

New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) Officers of state-owned oil upstream major, ONGC, today demanded the immediate appointment to the nine-month old vacant post of Chairman and Managing Director of the PSU.

The Association of Scientific and Technical Officers (ASTO), a representative body of ONGC executives, also asked for the implementation of the recommendations made by Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB).

PESB had five months ago, selected Mr R S Sharma, Director (Finance), ONGC, for the top job in the petroleum and gas major but the government, in a surprise move, scrapped the choice.

''We want the government to show the reasons behind quashing the panel, as PESB is the autonomous body,'' ASTO President Sanjay Goel told reporters here.

Earlier, the government had decided that the composition of the Selection Committee should undergo some change with the inclusion of Secretary, Petroleum and Natural Gas, as member and addition of one or two outside experts.

Commenting on this, Mr Goel said, ''there is something fishy in this.'' Mr Sharma had been selected by the PESB for the key post on August 30, 2006. He has been functioning as acting CMD since May 2006. When the government had decided not to extend the term of then CMD Subir Raha.

''The cancellation of the selected panel drawn by PSEB has given a blow to the pride, dignity and image of ONGC,'' Mr Goel said.

Mr Goel also cautioned the government not to politicise the critical issue and inadvertently precipitate an energy crisis.

''The government, since 1959, has made a cumulative capital investment of Rs 342.85 crore in ONGC. In return, ONGC has paid back to the government Rs 2,00,380 crore as dividend, contribution to central and state exchequer through royalty, cess, sales tax etc and disinvestment,'' Mr Goel said.

UNI