The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has emerged as the top performer among the public sector enterprises, registering a net profit of Rs 10,529 crore (Rs 105.29 billion) in 2002-03, while the Fertiliser Corporation earned the dubious distinction of topping the loss-making undertakings with a net loss of Rs 1,166 crore (Rs 11.66 billion).

Against a net profit of Rs 32,141 crore (Rs 321.41 billion) recorded by the public sector as a whole, the top 10 profit-making companies accounted for the lion's share, posting a net profit of Rs 29,951 crore (Rs 299.51 billion), more than a third of which was accounted by ONGC alone.

On the other hand, the top 10 loss-makers, at Rs 5,346 crore (Rs 53.46 billion), accounted for more then half of the losses of Rs 10,454 crore (Rs 104.54 billion) recorded by all loss-making PSUs and more than 11 per cent of this was accounted by the Fertiliser Corporation alone.

The petroleum sector dominated not only the public sector but also the list of top 10 performers as IOC, with profit of Rs 6,115 crore (Rs 61.15 billion), followed ONGC.

Gail with Rs 1,639 crore (Rs 16.39 billion), HPCL with Rs 1,537 crore (Rs 15.37 billion) and BPCL with Rs 1,250 crore (Rs 12.50 billion) were the other PSUs from the sector among the top 10 that also included NTPC with net profit of Rs 3,608 crore (Rs 36.08 billion) and Power Finance Corporation at Rs 1,172 crore (Rs 11.72 billion).

The Nuclear Power Corporation with a profit of Rs 1,509 crore (Rs 15.09 billion) was placed just ahead of the telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd with figures of Rs 1,444 crore (Rs 14.44 billion) while Neyveli Lignite was placed at the bottom of the list at Rs 1,148 crore (Rs 11.48 billion).