The government is unlikely to give extension of service to Indian Oil Corp (IOC) Chairman Sarthak Behuria when his five-year term ends this month,although a colleague of his on the PSUs Board has been granted the benefit. Behurias five-year term as head of the nations largest oil firm comes to an end this month and is eligible for extension of service till he reaches the age of superannuation - 60 years - in March 2012. Sources in the know said the Oil Ministry was not inclined to give Behuria an extension and a clear indication of this emerged today when Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL),a joint venture firm of state owned oil firm,decided to employ him. The board of PLL,whose Chairman is Petroleum Secretary S Sundareshan,decided to offer Behuria the job of Advisor in the rank and the pay of Managing Director and CEO,they said. The ministry had in 2006 declined Raha an extension as the Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corp and a year later GAILs Prashanto Banerjee went the same way. Sources said Behurias performance as Chairman of IOC had been rated as outstanding by outgoing Oil Secretary R S Pandey and there were no known corruption charges against him. An offer letter was sent to Behuria,who may eventually take over as MD and CEO of PLL when current incumbent Prosad Dasgupta leaves office in August. B M Bansal,whose five-year term as Director (Business Development) is also expiring this month,has been granted extension till his retirement next year.
