| NEW
DELHI: Baljit Singh Lalli, an Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1971
batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is to take over as the new Prasar Bharati
CEO. The post had been vacant
since K S Sarma retired on 30 June after serving a term of six years. However,
the post was held on a temporary basis first by Doordarshan Director General Navin
Kumar until his retirement and then by All India Radio DG Brijeshwar Singh.
The candidature of Lalli,
who is presently the secretary in charge of border management in the union ministry
of home, was selected on 21 December by a high-level committee meeting under vice
president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. The name could not be announced
earlier as information and broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi was out
of the capital. Under the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation
of India) Act 1990, the selection of the chief executive has to be made by a high-level
committee comprising the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Press Council of India Chairman
(Justice G N Ray), and a nominee of the president. It is understood that S K Arora
who is secretary in the I&B ministry was the third member on the committe.
The chief executive normally has a term of six years and functions under
the Prasar Bharati board that is headed by a Chairman. Meanwhile,
AK Jain who is a 1977 batch IAS Officer has taken over as the member (Finance)
of Prasar Bharati, following his appointment to the post on the recommendations
of the high powered selection committee. He will hold the office of member (Finance)
for a period of six years, as per the provisions of the Prasar Bharati Act.
V. Shivakumar is the new member (Personnel) of Prasar Bharati. He is presently
holding the post of director (HR) in MTNL - a board level position. The post of
member (personnel) was lying vacant since the retirement of D P S Lamba.
Jain, an M.B.A. in finance and marketing from the Faculty of Management
Studies (FMS), Delhi, also holds an MBA in finance and public sector management
from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. He claims to have grounding in financial
management and corporate affairs and has worked in the department of public enterprises/
heavy industries and the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers in his previous
postings. He acquired first hand experience in the functioning of commercial enterprises
as the executive director of NAFED. Having served a tenure as the joint
secretary in the ministry of home affairs, Jain was the principal secretary to
the government of Nagaland before his new assignment. The appointment of
a full-time member (Finance) assumes significance in view of the corporate restructuring
plan being worked out for Prasar Bharati. A group of ministers is deliberating
the issue. | 
