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      UP police subsequently arrested the then   that the Joint Parliamentary Committee   On an observation of the Committee
      Managing Director, AP Mishra, Director   (JPC) in its report on “irregularities in    about the policies and procedures fol-
      Finance, Sudhanshu Dwivedi and for-  securities and banking transactions”   lowed by the public sector undertakings
      mer secretary of the GPF and CPF Trusts    have made a number of recommen-  in respect of the investments of their
      PK Gupta.                        dations covering the areas mentioned   surplus funds, the Government has taken
        All India Power Engineers Federation   above. These recommendations have   note of the fact that the policies and pro-
      Chairman Shailendra Dubey, said, “How   been considered by the Government and   cedures followed by the PSUs in many
      can the probe by the UP government   the government has decided accordingly.  cases were not in conformity with the
      hope to unearth the culprits behind this   It was noted by the Committee that   guidelines and did not satisfy acceptable
      conspiracy, especially when the invest-  while the Government permitted PSUs   norms. The administrative Ministries
      ments are linked with Dawood Ibrahim   to have banking transactions with for-  are requested to take appropriate action
      and Iqbal Mirchi’s company and the ED   eign banks, it was not monitored proper-  to demarcate the responsibilities of the
      was grilling DHFL officials?”    ly. As such the Government has decided   Government in its different Ministries/
                                       that the administrative Ministries deal-  Departments and their nominee Direc-
      What do the rules say?           ing with particular PSU should monitor   tors as well as the Board of the Public
      How all this has been happening is a   adherence to all guidelines issued by the   Sector Undertakings, the whole time
      mystery because Director, Public Enter-  Government. The PSUs should report   Directors and its top managers.
      prises, the Ministry of Heavy Industries   to the administrative Ministry in case   The committee also raised the ques-
      and Public Enterprises has circulated   of inability to comply with particular   tion of the duty and responsibility for
      recommendations of the Joint Parlia-  guidelines and the Ministry will consider   ensuring, implementation of guidelines.
      mentary Committee amongst all minis-  condonation or enforcement by issue of   It is the primary responsibility of the
      tries/departments. The Director wrote   a Presidential directive.  PSUs to abide by Governmental guide-
                                                                         lines. With regard to investment of sur-
                                                                         plus funds, the Committee has suggested
          Congress communication incharge Randeep                        that the policies should be clear-cut and
                                                                         transparent.
            Surjewala tweets, “Why did Haryana BJP                         The administrative ministries are also
           government deposit over Rs 1,000 crore in                     desired to lay down guidelines for the
                                                                         PSU under their control in the matter of
           Yes Bank a month ago knowing that it was                      regular reporting of financial transac-
              sinking? Is this figure Rs 3,000 crore?”                   tions to the Board having regard to the
                                                                         nature of its business, size of financial
                                                                         transactions and the level to which the
                                                                         financial powers have been delegated.
                                                                           The directions further say that boards
                                                                         of all PSUs are directed to lay down clear
                                                                         policies on investment of surplus funds,
                                                                         establish transparent procedures, review
                                                                         delegation of authority and prescribe
                                                                         regular reporting of investments to the
                                                                         Board. The administrative Ministries
                                                                         and the Public Enterprises are advised to
                                                                         keep the decisions of the Government on
                                                                         these various recommendations of the
                                                                         JPC in view and take appropriate meas-
                                                                         ures in accordance with the Government
                                                                         decision indicated above. The Ministries
                                                                         may, in turn, issue suitable instructions
                                                                         to the enterprises for strict compliance.
                                                                           Interestingly even when clear cut
                                                                         instructions and rules are in place, the
                                                                         state entities have been parking funds in
                                                                         financial institutions that are not 100 per
                                                                         cent safe for such investments.
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