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• The government has launched a global hunt for a new NHAI chairman, but so far it has only managed to attract applications from retired and serving government officials and from public sector executives.Although officials are still hopeful of getting private sector executives in the race, the pay package and a three-year term may not be sufficient attraction. Officials, however, warn that it is still early days with 10 days to go.So far, there are 15 candidates who have applied for the job of chief executive of the world's largest highway construction programme. This includes HUDCO CMD VP Baligar, former Chhattisgarh chief secretary PJ Oommen and ex-labour secretary Prabhat Chaturvedi. In addition, there is V K Yadav, DG of Border Roads; K N Shrivastava, an additional secretary in the external affairs ministry and Sumit Chakraborty from IIM-Kolkata.
• Highways ministry officials several technocrats and senior executives of top public sector undertakings (PSUs) have also applied for the NHAI top job. And, this includes those living abroad."There is no law in the country that prohibits global executives to apply for the job. Once we have expanded the criteria for selection, the aim is to get the best man for this job," said a senior ministry official.He added that the ministry has been receiving queries from different people since the government advertised the post. The provision of a three-year fixed tenure in this post, which has the provision to extend it by two more years, is also seen as motivating factors to get the best talent.
• However, the debate is still on whether the paltry monthly salary of Rs 80,000 will make the job lucrative enough for corporate and PSU top bosses. But officials admit that the compensation of Rs 80,000 plus perks may not be attractive for private sector executives.Sources said that Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury, who heads the parliamentary committee on transport, had raised this issue at the transport development council meeting last week. In response to Yechury's question, highways secretary A K Upadhyaya, who is holding the dual charge of NHAI chairman, reasoned that anyone with a "nation-building" mission could show interest.Initially, the highways builders had had a similar concern when minister C P Joshi proposed to expand the eligibility criteria, allowing private executives and technocrats to apply for NHAI chairman's post.

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