Govt denies extension to ONGC CMD Raha

NEW DELHI: The Government declined to give any extension to Subir Raha, terminating his tenure as the Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), from Wednesday.

According to Petroleum Ministry sources, the refusal came in  the wake of negative remarks made by the former Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer and former Petroleum Secretary S C Tripathi on his performance, and the T N R Rao Committee Report on the fire at a facility in the company's Mumbai High Field last year.

Significantly, the Petroleum Ministry had sought the comments of Aiyer on Raha's performance. Aiyer, in a one-page note, criticised Raha for  'insubordination and indiscipline' and not adding to the oil reserves of the company. He went on to saying that Raha had converted ONGC into a one-man show as he was not a team player.

However, the present Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan in his report has recommended granting an immediate extension for a period of three months.

The sources revealed that the Ministry might ask R S Sharma, Director (Finance), ONGC or Anil Razdan- Additional Secretary in the Petroleum Ministry to officiate as acting CMD till a final and permanent appointment is made.