SAIL, BPCL, Indian Oil, HAL, BEL, PFC and NSKFDC win SCOPE awards

Seven public sector firms, including steel maker SAIL, oil marketing companies BPCL and Indian Oil and defence companies HAL and BEL, besides financing companies PFC and NSKFDC have won the SCOPE Meritorious Awards for public enterprises.

President Pranab Mukherjee handed over the annual awards instituted by the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) to the winners at a function at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi today.

HAL received the award for R&D and innovation for 2012-13 for its recent initiatives, a company statement said.

BEL gets the Gold Trophy for best practices and innovative HR initiatives launched for its personnel.

SCOPE also awarded Commendation Certificates to OIL, WAPCOS, IRCON, REIL and THDC. The President also felicitated EIL, NBCC and CONCOR, the new Navratna CPSEs.

Speaking on the occasion, the President complimented SCOPE for its initiative in instituting the SCOPE Meritorious Awards with the objective of identifying and recognizing outstanding performers in various segments of business activity.

He also complimented the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) for organizing the event which provides recognition to the efforts being made by CPSEs in a variety of areas such as Environmental Excellence & Sustainable Development; Corporate Governance; Corporate Social Responsibility & Responsiveness; Research and Development and Technology Development & Innovation.

The President made special mention of the 'Make in India' campaign which has recently been launched by government to transform India into a truly world-class, global manufacturing hub and said that he believed that CPSEs have a vital role in making this a reality. He drew their attention on the need to innovate while doing business. He stated that an ever changing and dynamic business scenario throws up newer and complex challenges which call for innovative solutions.

The President said that the CPSEs have, over time, contributed greatly towards fulfilling their corporate social responsibility obligations. They have actively partnered government in implementing its social and economic policies. He was confident they would continue to take the lead in the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign and other socially oriented schemes being launched by the government.

Speaking on the occasion union minister of heavy industries and public enterprises Anant Geete expressed said it was a reaffirmation of immense trust reposed by the policymakers on public sector enterprises.

The minister said central public sector enterprises in India have been synonymous with industrial growth of the country. CPSEs have been augmenting the government resources through dividends, taxes and duties, etc and thus playing the role of wealth generator for the government as well as our citizens.

The CPSEs have continued to perform well even during the post-liberalisation period. They have emerged stronger and more efficient in the face of increasingly competitive scenario and are now ready to become global entities. In fact, many CPSEs have already made successful global forays and many more are ready to spread their wings in new markets