Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is in a fix over the post of its Director Corporate Planning and Marketing, which fell vacant in October 2011. The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), mandated with the job of short-listing directors, is making a second attempt to find a suitable man for this crucial post.
The PESB had earlier shortlisted a senior HAL official for the post, only to be informed later that the under vigilance wing scanner. A circular issued by Vedantam Giri, PESB’s director, Department of Personnel and Training, had set April 22, 2013, as the last date for aspirants to apply.
“Advance action may be taken to keep the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for last five years, of those candidates ready along with their latest vigilance profile to be furnished as an when the selection meeting is scheduled,” says the circular. The marketing head’s post, currently given as an additional charge to another director, was last occupied by Sqn Ldr (Retd) Baldev Singh, who was found hanging from a tree on the way to Nandi Hills, a popular tourist spot near Bangalore.
Police investigations concluded that Baldy, as he was popularly called, committed suicide. An ace test pilot, Baldy was spearheading the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) project in HAL, until he was selected for the director’s post. HAL has kept the IJT project under wraps since then.
“Under the restructuring plans of HAL, following the recommendations made by the Chaturvedi Committee, the total number of directors is likely to be trimmed, and some key posts merged. Even the helicopter complex is without a director now and the charge has been given to another man.
“All these will affect the overall production performance of the company in the long run. These are government decisions and we have to abide by it,” a planning department officer said.