Ensure public sector oil marketing companies follow quota policy: Par Panel

A parliamentary panel has asked the Centre to propose amendments to existing rules of public sector oil marketing companies for appointment of SC and ST members in their boards of directors

A parliamentary panel has asked the Centre to propose amendments to existing rules of public sector oil marketing companies for appointment of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe members in their boards of directors, noting that they were "rarely" included in the top governing bodies.

In a report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the committee also termed the percentage of Scheduled Tribe (ST) representation "quite low" in Group A, B and C category posts in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). It also said representation of Scheduled Castes (SC) in Group B and C in the company was "not up to the mark".

"The recruitment figures relating to SCs and STs are also quite dismal (in BPCL) being 7.7 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively, for the year 2019.

"Likewise, the percentage of promotion to the lowest rung of Group A stands at 11.11 per cent and 5.55 per cent for SCs and STs, respectively, whereas the same is nil for promotion to Group B and C posts for SCs and STs," committee said.

The said position cannot be justified on grounds of the pandemic, it added.

BPCL needs to put in sincere and extra efforts in this regard as the percentage of STs is quite low in Group A, B and C category posts, the parliamentary panel underlined, and asked the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to "impress upon" the public sector oil marketing company to fulfil the mandated representation of SCs and STs in services.

The committee also noted that the number of SCs and STs promoted to Group A, B and C in Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) was less than "the mandated percentage" for 2021.

"The committee recommends that the ministry issue necessary directions to IOCL to bring the figures as per percentage of reservation fixed for SCs/STs as per DOPT (Department of Personnel and Training) guidelines and submit the reasons for low figures along with corrective measures taken in this regard," it added.

The parliamentary standing committee noted that there were three SC and one ST backlog vacancies in Group A in BPCL while Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) had a backlog of seven SC vacancies in Group C.

"The backlog figures in IOCL are massive with 21 SC and 24 ST backlog vacancy in Group A. Group C has 11 backlog vacancies, six SC and five ST, and Group D has five backlog vacancies, three SC and two ST," the committee said.

The panel dismissed the OMCs' contention that the required number of SC/ST candidates were not available to fill the vacancies.

"The committee recommends that a special recruitment drive be carried out at the earliest and all the backlog vacancies in all the relevant public sector oil companies be filled within three months of presentation of this report in both Houses of Parliament," it added.

On contractual engagement of labourers through contractors, the panel noted that it was informed that the OMCs ensured various benefits were provided to them and called for details to see if the reservation representation/percentage was being scrupulously maintained in these appointments.

The committee recommended that the OMCs being principal employers should impress upon the contractors to follow the DoPT order "in letter and spirit" to ensure adequate representation of SCs and STs in such appointments.

"The said instructions may also be included in the contract document to be made in future," it added.