Nirmala Sitharaman asks ICSI to prepare list of possible women directors

New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday asked the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) to prepare a list of qualified women professionals who can be appointed on boards of public sector units.

"Most often we...Do not put women as independent directors in many of our public sector undertakings...Its actually a bit difficult task," Sitharaman said at an award function organised by ICSI here.

"I only appeal to the ICSI that you not just be ready with qualified women who can fill those positions which you want to fill, but also you should keep a bank of names which you can help the government with because most often in our searches, we are limited to Lutyens' Delhi and that's not good," she added.

The minister Sitharaman said the government needs people from all over the country.

"I am sure that there are women who can occupy such positions," she said.

Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has repeatedly asked the government to ensure that listed PSUs are in full compliance with the norms relating to independent directors in order to ensure good corporate governance practices.