New Delhi: The government is looking to fill as many as 37 board seats at the country’s various public sector enterprises, including 16 top positions like chairpersons or managing directors.

Out of these 37 positions to be filled at PSEs, nearly half or 15 posts are already lying vacant, while the incumbents at the other 22 positions would be retiring in the course of this year.

The government has initiated the process of hiring persons for these 37 positions, according to data available with the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), the agency that advises and helps the government in selecting board members at public sector firms.

The search has begun for chairman and managing director (CMD) for as many as 9 PSEs, including Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Hindustan Copper Ltd, Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corp Ltd, Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) and Goa Shipyard Ltd.

National Fertilisers Ltd (NFL), Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT), Water & Power Consultancy Services India Ltd and India Rare Earths Ltd are also looking for new CMDs.

Besides, PESB is also looking for managing directors at another seven companies — Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, Brahmaputra Crackers & Polymers, Steel Authority of India Ltd for its Durgapur Steel Plant unit, Bharat Pump & Compressors Ltd, Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Rajasthan Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (RDPL).

Apart from CMD and MD ranks, PSEB has also begun the process for hiring 21 directors for various PSEs and and one member (planning) at Airports Authority of India Ltd (AAI).

The directors are being hired for companies like Gail India, Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, Oil India Ltd, Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, HMT International Ltd, Western Coalfields Ltd, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd and National Fertilizers Ltd among others.