Graphics Image Prepared by Dynamite News
New Delhi: Questions are being raised over certain decisions and indecisions in the Steel Ministry, with a high-level official being under the scanner.
Sources pointed out to Dynamite News that there have been irregularities in key appointments across leading PSUs, including Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), and MOIL Limited.
According to sources, the posts of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) in both SAIL and RINL have remained vacant for a prolonged period, leading to concerns over leadership gaps in the key state-run PSUs.
At SAIL, Amarendu Prakash was appointed as the Chairman in 2023 with a tenure scheduled until 2028. However, he resigned abruptly and left office a few days back. Sources suggest that alleged pressure from within the ministry may have influenced his decision, though no formal reason has been publicly disclosed.
Subsequently, a proposal was reportedly moved to assign additional charge of SAIL’s CMD position to a senior officer from MOIL. The proposal was, however, rejected by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Insiders also point to a Director-level appointment in SAIL made in March, which allegedly proceeded despite multiple complaints, raising further concerns about transparency in the selection process.
In the case of MOIL, it is alleged that a senior official in the ministry facilitated the appointment of an individual as CMD despite a pending case before the Lokpal. The development has triggered questions over due diligence in appointments.
The post of the Director (Personnel) is set to fall vacant in June. Although the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) had initiated the selection process, sources claim that the appointment has been “kept in abeyance.” This has raised concerns over delays in filling critical positions.
At RINL, which recently received financial support of ₹11,000 crore from the Centre, the process to appoint the CMD has led to questions. While PESB had reportedly selected S. Sakthimani for the role, sources allege that the appointment has not been acted upon. Instead, a relatively junior officer was first promoted to Executive Director and later elevated to CMD through a Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC). the post of Director (Operations) has also reportedly been kept in abeyance, mirroring a similar situation in MOIL.
Sources further reveal that several Director-level posts across PSUs are vacant, with their responsibilities being assigned as additional charge to existing CMDs.
These developments have triggered questions regarding governance within the ministry: the reasons behind the premature resignation of Amarendu Prakash, the appointment of individuals facing pending cases, delays in filling key posts despite PESB processes, and whether decision-making is being influenced by favouritism or administrative pressure.
