Selection of RINL top brass on June 25

Visakhapatnam: For the first time, the interview for the coveted post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) will be conducted among the shortlisted candidates through video-conferencing mode due to the severity of second spell of Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department of Personnel and Training through the Public Enterprises Selection Board has shortlisted Ajit Kumar Saxena, Director (Operations) of RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and Atul Bhatt, CMD of MECON Ltd for the top post. The interview will be held on June 25. The post of RINL CMD fell vacant following the retirement of PK Rath on May 31. The Centre said in view of the exponential rise in Covid-19 in the National Capital Region and restriction on movement, the selection meeting by PESB will be held through VC mode.

At present, Director (Personnel) KC Das has been asked to hold the additional charge of CMD post till he reaches the age of superannuation on June 30. The selection process may take three to six months depending on time required for getting clearances from the Central Vigilance Commission, Central Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence Bureau.

The CMD will have a challenging time ahead as the Centre has already decided for 100 per cent disinvestment of RINL, its subsidiaries and joint ventures and the employees are already on a warpath against it fearing insecurity.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on January 27 gave in-principle clearance to the strategic disinvestment of 100 per cent shareholding of Government of India in RINL, its subsidiaries and joint ventures by way of privatisation. It may be recalled that AP Assembly adopted a resolution unanimously last month appealing to the Centre to rollback decision to privatise RINL, considered 'Pride of Andhra' as it was set up after loss of 32 lives in police firing during 'Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku' agitation.