Manish Raj Gupta named interim CMD of RINL

The Government of India has appointed SAIL Director (Technical, Projects & Raw Materials) Manish Raj Gupta has been appointed to hold additional charge as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of India.

The change has been made at a time when the trade unions mainly affiliated to the Left and Congress parties have been agitating for the past few weeks demanding the removal of the present incumbent and appointment of a regular CMD.

The CMD post assumes importance as the Centre has infused Rs.11,400 crore into cash-starved RINL following an overwhelming demand to retain it in the public sector by withdrawing the decision of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs to privatise it, its joint ventures and subsidiaries. The recent EoIs to entrust the maintenance contracts of various mills and services to private parties also raised fears among the unions and the employees on the possibility of handing over RINL to private hands.

CMD of MOIL Ajit Kumar Saxena was earlier appointed as the interim CMD till further orders. There has been inordinate delay in the posting of a regular CMD.

Though S. Sakhtamani, Director (Finance) of FACT was was recommended for the post of RINL CMD by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) on September 3, 2024, on 'technical grounds' clearance could not be obtained from the Appointments Committee.