Recommendations on oil PSU wages likely to come in 30 days

NEW DELHI: Home Minister P Chidambaram, who heads a newly-formed four-member group asked by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to look into wage demands of oil PSU executives, is likely to give its recommendations on the issue in a month.

Chidambaram met Petroleum Secretary R S Pandey yesterday morning to keep himself posted about the issues regarding the indefinite strike call given by oil PSU executives from January 7, official sources said.

Despite the fact that the group, which also comprises Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, Public Enterprises Minister Santosh Mohan Dev and Minister of State for Finance P K Bansal, has neither been notified as a Group of Ministers nor the terms of reference and timeframe set, Chidambaram was of the opinion that recommendations can be firmed up in a month.

Sources said Chidambaram told Pandey that the group may need three to four meetings to form its view and the first in the series has been scheduled for January 7 evening.

He has also agreed to meet the Oil Sectors Officers Association (OSOA), a body of executives from 14 oil PSUs, which has given the indefinite strike call to protest a mere 17 per cent hike in wages, approved by the Government.

A strike in the oil sector can cripple the already fragile economy as it can bring aviation to a standstill within minutes and disrupt auto and cooking fuel supplies if it lasts for two days.

Sources said Chidambaram has assured looking into their genuine demands but the strike call has to be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Oil and Natural Gas Corp Chairman R S Sharma and IOC Chairman Sarthak Behuria have supported the oil executives saying the wage hike approved by the government was minuscule and more needed to be done.