NEW DELHI-Restructuring Public Enterprises

'Restructuring' Public Enterprises B M THE Industry Minister, George Fer- nandes, has reacted sharply to a report in the press about a move to 'split' Hindustan Machine Tools and the resignation of the chairman of the company in protest. There was no intention to split the HMT; the idea was only to restructure this prestigious public sector undertaking with a view to improving its efficiency, he is reported to have said angrily. Fernandes was, of course, wholly correct in making a distinction between restructuring and splitting the HMT and the press report in question was wrong to that extent. But the issues involved here are somewhat larger and more important than the report and its contradiction by the minister tend to suggest.