In a first, govt appoints a private sector top executive as PESB chairperson. Who is she?

• Chairman and Managing Director of Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) Limited, Mallika Srinivasan has been appointed as the chairperson of PESB

• The DoPT has also announced the appointment of Sailesh, a 1985-batch IAS officer, as a PESB Member

New Delhi: For the first time ever, the government has appointed a private sector senior executive and a female candidate as the Chairperson of Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB). According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Chairman and Managing Director of Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) Limited, Mallika Srinivasan has been appointed as the chairperson of PESB. The apex organisation responsible for making top PSU appointments had been functioning without a chief since August 2020. 

In the absence of a Chairperson, CMD and Director level vacancies had been piling up at PSUs. With Srinivasan taking over charge of the post, the selection process for top level PSU appointments will once again start rolling at PESB.

Mallika Srinivasan will have 3-year tenure as PESB Chairperson

According to the official order, Srinivasan will have a three-year tenure as the PESB Chairperson. "Appointment of Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & Managing Director, Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) Limited as Chairperson, Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until the attainment of the age of 65 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest," said the order.

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DPE Secretary Sailesh appointed as PESB Member

The DoPT has also announced the appointment of Sailesh, a 1985-batch IAS officer, as a PESB Member. Sailesh is currently Secretary of Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). He was scheduled to superannuate in September this year. "Appointment of Shri Sailesh, IAS (AM: 1985), Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, as Member, Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until the attainment of the age of 65 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest," said the order.

The PESB consists of one chairperson and three full-time members. The names of other two PESB Members are MK Gupta and Rear Admiral (Retd) Shekhar Mital.

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