New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the re-employment of Arun Kumar Singh as Chairman of Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on contract basis for another year, said an official order by the issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on December 2.
"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the following proposals of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas: Re-employment of Shri Arun Kumar Singh as Chairman, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), on contract basis for a further period of one year wef 07.12.2025, or till assumption of charge of the post by a regular incumbent, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest, on terms and conditions to be finalised by the Ministry in consultation with the Department of Public Enterprises," said the order.
This step ensures leadership continuity at India's largest oil explorer, which is navigating tough waters in the backdrop of a decline in global oil prices and a flat crude oil and natural gas production.
The ACC has also approved the constitution of another Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) for selecting a regular Chairman for ONGC, consisting of PESB Chairperson Mallika Srinivasan, Petroleum Secretary Pankaj Jain, and former Indian Oil Chairman B Ashok . This mirrors the 2022 process that recommended Singh after interviewing six candidates on August 27.
A Mechanical Engineer from NIT Patna, Singh comes with 38 years in the crude oil industry, including as ex-CMD of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), heading retail, LPG, pipelines, supply chain, and as President (Africa & Australasia) at Bharat PetroResources Ltd. His extension brings stability to ONGC at a time when it is undertaking a rigorous cost-cutting programme to protect margins in a post USD 60-barrel oil world.
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