The conceptual as well as operational aspects of autonomy of public sector enterprises are examined in this paper. The attention is focussed on such enterprises registered as public limited companies to the relative exclusion of departmental undertakings and public corporations. The role of autonomy in determining the long term performance of the public enterprises covered by the paper is examined. The issue which is taken up in detail is that of working relationship of public enterprises with the administrative ministries. Systems, processes and persons involved in the two segments have been looked into by referring to available material and observations of the author made during the course of a recent study on the subject. An attempt is made to reexamine the role of public enterprises as contributors of economic and industrial development vis-a-vis their being used as instruments of public policy. The analytical framework is drawn from the basic premises of a mixed economy in which public enterprises operate in India and the functional value of management which may be instrumental in their fulfilling their obligations. This calls for a review of the present mode of administrative control as well as scrutiny by the Parliament and other concerned authorities, given the fact that substantial public funds are invested in these enterprises.