Talukdar gets another 6-month extension

DGH boss BN Talukdar is set to get another six month extension beyond June 30, 2015.

Talukdar already made history when he got the first six month extension beyond December 2014 when he was meant to retire - the first time a DGH chief had won a post retirement extension. Now he will stay on even longer.

"Oil secretary Saurabh Chandra wants Talukdar to continue and has moved his file," says a ministry source. Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan has yet to formally approve Talukdar's appointment but this is believed to be a formality.

"Talukdar always does what the ministry tells him and never causes trouble," says a DGH official. "We are also comfortable working with him.

He's a simple man." Among Talukdar's priorities over the next six months will be the launch of an auction of 69 marginal oil and gasfields owned by ONGC and Oil India; launching NELP-X, where 42 shortlisted blocks will be put on auction; and launching a National Data Repository (NDR) to preserve and promote E&P data.