[Assam] Who shall head this pioneer PSU of India and pride of Assam ?

[muktikam phukan]

Guwahati, Friday, December 9, 2005  
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  Able Assamese technocrat should head OIL:AASU
 GUWAHATI, Dec 8 – ‘AASU is in favour of an eligible dynamic Assamese technocrat to lead Oil India Ltd as chairman-cum-managing director’ and ‘any discrimination in this regard will not be tolerated,’ said general secretary of AASU, Tapan Gogoi. He was reacting to news reports of a few anti-Assamese lobbies trying to influence the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas ministry to appoint their candidate of choice as the next CMD of OIL in collaboration with some vested interest.

Gogoi told The Assam Tribune that though Oil India Ltd is a Central govt PSU yet its main operational area and base is basically located in Assam. Capable and eligible Assamese technocrats should always get preference in the matter of leading the company. The same has been followed since 1984, Gogoi said thus making the students’ body stand clear.

As the incumbent chairman-cum managing director of OIL, Ranjit Kumar Dutta is retiring on March 31 next year, the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas ministry has scheduled the interview for the top post on December 14 at New Delhi. According to a highly-placed OIL source in New Delhi, though there are a number of aspirants for the top job, the number has been shortlisted. Only three are in the fray and they are Gautom Sen, director of ONGCL, M R Pasrija, director (finance) of OIL and Nayanmoni Bora, director (operation) of OIL.

But the whole issue got complicated with the controversial involvement of a section of leaders of the only recognised workers union of OIL, Indian Oil Workers Union (IOWU) in openly campaigning and lobbying for a person who has not applied for the top post. He is V K Sibal who is presently officiating as the Director-General of Hydrocarbon of India. He had left OIL after officiating as the director (personal) about one-and-a-half years back. And the union leaders have even teamed up with two BJP MPs from the state, Sri Karendu Bhattacharyya and Parimal Suklabadya along with a few Union leaders of Pipeline unit and Kolkata office. They have called on the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Mani Sankar Aiyar and pressed for appointing Sibal as the next CMD of OIL even though he had not applied for the same on November 27 at New Delhi.

When contacted, the president of IOWU, Rohini Kalita while admitting about calling on the Union Petroleum Minister told The Assam Tribune that as per the two resolutions adopted by the executive of the Union honouring the sentiments of the employees of the company, the union is in favour of Sibal as the next CMD of the company. And that’s why they had called on Aiyar and placed a request in favour of Sibal.

When this correspondent contacted the office-bearers of the Executive Exmployees Association of the company, they said in no uncertain terms that appointment of CMD is not within their association’s purview.


		
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