I&B secy writes to Personnel Ministry seeking extension for Doordarshan DG

Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare has written to the Personnel Ministry seeking a three-month extension in service for Director General of Doordarshan Supriya Sahu.

Sahu, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, was appointed as director general of the autonomous public service broadcaster in 2016 for a period of three years, which ended on June 28.

In a letter to the establishment officer and additional secretary in the ministry, P K Triptahi, Khare said the process of filling up the post of director general in Doordarshan is likely to take more time.

"Therefore, this matter has been discussed with Prasar Bharati and with the approval of the minister of information and broadcasting, it is proposed that the competent authority may consider granting three months extension to Supriya Sahu as director general, Doordarshan, with effect from June 29, 2019," Khare said in the letter dated June 28.

The post of director general in Doordarshan is governed by the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Director General (Akashvani) and Director General (Doordarshan) (Recruitment) Regulations, 2001.

In the letter, a copy of which is with PTI, Khare said, "As per practice, the appointment of director general, Doordarshan is done with the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet after approval of the Information and Broadcasting minister".

It is requested that the order of the competent authority may kindly be communicated, he said.

Incidentally, Prasar Bharati had issued an order, on the day Khare wrote to the Personnel Ministry, "relieving and repatriating" Sahu with effect from June 28 afternoon.

However, a few hours later the order relieving and repatriating Sahu to her cadre state was "kept in abeyance", as per another order.