PESB picks no one for NTPC CMD post, asks Power Ministry to take over selection process

New Delhi: The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) did not pick any candidate for the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NTPC Limited and has asked the Ministry of Power to take over the selection process. A notification issued by the board on Wednesday said, “The Board did not recommend any candidate for the post and advised the Administrative Ministry/Department to choose an appropriate course of further action for selection including the search-cum-selection committee (SCSC) or as deemed appropriate with the approval of the competent authority.”

PSU Watch is now on Whatsapp Channels. Click here to join

The interviews for the post were held on Wednesday and a total of 12 candidates were part of the shortlist. Currently, Gurdeep Singh holds the post of NTPC CMD. His tenure was earlier extended from February 4, 2021 to July 31, 2025, which is also the date of his superannuation.

Off late, the PESB has failed to recommend candidates for the post of CMD at several other bluechip PSUs, including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL). And now, the PESB has once again recommended the SCSC-route for the appointment of a candidate to head India’s largest power utility.

According to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the search-cum-selection committee method allows greater flexibility in selection of candidates. Incidentally, Singh himself was appointed NTPC CMD through such a committee in 2016. The SCSC constituted by the Ministry of Power will have a year to complete the selection process. The vacancy will be advertised once again by the ministry and candidates will be given four weeks to respond. The panel will have three months to complete the selection process.

The shortlisted candidates interviewed on Wednesday included, NTPC’s Director (Fuel) Shivam Srivastava, THDC India Limited’s Director (Technical) Bhupender Gupta, NTPC’s Director (Operations) Ravindra Kumar, NTPC’s ED Shaswattam, GSECL’s Managing Director Somes Bandyopadhyay, MMTC’s Director (Finance) Kapil Kumar Gupta, Coal India Limited’s Director (Marketing) Mukesh Choudhary, CONCOR’s Director (Project & Services) Ajit Kumar Panda, RECPDCL’s CEO TSC Bosh, Power Grid’s ED Rajil Srivastava, Additional Coal Secretary Sanoj Kumar Jha (IAS), MSEB MAHAGENCO MSPGCL’s Director Abhay Arun Harne.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)