Full-time NMDC Chairman soon: Steel Secretary

NEW DELHI: After a gap of nearly two years, state-owned iron ore miner NMDC is likely to get a full-time Chairman soon, Steel Secretary G Mohan Kumar today said.

"Very soon... I hope, very soon," Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of a Ficci event here to a question as to when will NMDC get a full-time Chairman.

NMDC, country's largest iron ore miner, is without a full time Chairman since the retirement of its earlier regular head Rana Som on December 31, 2011. Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) Chairman C S Verma is officiating as NMDC head.

Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) had selected a candidate, but the Steel Ministry rejected the choice on some grounds.

Later, an appointed panel, headed by Planning Commission Member Arun Maira, recommended names of Narendra Kothari, CEO of SAIL Burnpur plant and T K Lahiry, CMD of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd in May.

Sources said that while the vigilance clearance for Kothari has been received, Lahiry's is awaited.

Meanwhile, the Steel Ministry has recommended the name of Syedain Abbasi, Joint Secretary in the Ministry, as interim head of the company to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for relieving Verma.

Abbasi is already on the NMDC Board as a government nominee director. ACC's approval is yet to come.