The Hindu Business Line : BSNL, MTNL yet to get full-time heads

BSNL and MTNL are yet to get a full-time Chairman and continue to be saddled with senior officials who are keeping the seat warm until the Government finally makes up its mind.

While Mr Prithipal Singh retired as Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL on December 31, 2003 the same post in MTNL has been lying vacant since October 31, 2003 with the superannuation of Mr Narendra Sharma.

Currently, Mr V.P. Sinha and Mr R.S.P. Sinha are `acting' CMDs of BSNL and MTNL respectively.

According to official sources, the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) has not been able to take a firm decision on filling up the vacancies because of `technical' reasons.

In the case of BSNL, the frontrunner for the post is the current CMD of Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL), Mr G.D. Gaiha.

However, as per a directive of the appointments committee of Cabinet, top-ranking officials of PSUs must spend a minimum of two years in a single organisation.

Mr Gaiha has not completed two years in TCIL.

Further, there is much resentment in BSNL on his appointment since two other officials of the company are already being seen as likely contenders.

They are Mr S.D. Saxena, Director (Finance) and Mr V.P. Sinha himself.

The sources said that in the case of MTNL, the situation was even more complex.

Soon after the previous incumbent retired, Mr R.S.P. Sinha was given `acting' charge for a period of three months till the appointments committee took a final decision. However, the Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officers objected to his appointment and sought that any senior official from their cadre should be given the responsibility.

They also alleged that only three years of his annual confidential reports (ACR) were considered instead of the mandatory five years.

As a result, after the expiry of this first term of three months, Mr Sinha has been a granted an additional three months extension as `acting' CMD, while the appointments committee makes up its mind on whether to confirm his appointment or choose an ITS officer for the post.

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