Govt clears names for SAIL managing directors

After remaining headless for several months, country’s largest steel-maker Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) is all set to get new managing directors to head three of its four steel plants beginning next month. Steel minister Ram Vilas Paswan has finally cleared the names of managing directors for SAIL’s Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP), Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and Bokaro Steel Plant, a move that is likely to speed up decision-making process crucial for meeting steel majors’ expansion plans.

In the case of appointment of new SAIL chairman — present chairman VS Jain is due to retire in July this year — sources said the ministry is yet to decide whether to go with the first choice candidate, director personnel of SAIL, SK Roongta, or seek second name from the PESB. Apparently, in the earlier rounds of interviews conducted by the PESB for the post of SAIL chairman, director finance of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), Bisnoi emerged as a strong contender.

ED personnel and administration DSP VK Gulati whose name was selected by PESB for taking over as DSP MD has now been replaced with ED corporate planning of SAIL, Mr V Shyamsundar. For BSL, the ministry has cleared the name of VK Srivastava (currently ED works at BSL) and for RSP it has approved BN Singh’s name who is presently looking after SAIL’s raw material division.