Kicking off the disinvestment process, the government has invited legal advisers to help with stake sales in seven public sector undertakings (PSUs) including bluechips like Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), which have the potential to collectively raise over Rs 34,000 crore. The other companies on the radar are hydro-power firm NHPC, Power Finance Corporation (PFC), Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) India. In the Budget 2017-18, the government has set a target of Rs 46,500 crore to be mobilised through minority stake sale and Rs 15,000 crore from strategic disinvestment.
The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has come out with request for proposals (RFPs) for appointing merchant bankers and legal advisers for stake sale in these state-owned companies. Besides, the government will sell the stakes through the offer-for-sale route, meaning by auction on stock exchanges.
As per the RFP, the government is planning to sell 3% stake in IOC out of 58.28% stake, 10% each in SAIL, NTPC, NHPC and PFC where it hold 75%, 69.74%, 74.50% and 67.80% respectively. Besides, a 15% stake in NLC India out of 90% and 5% in REC where it hold 60.64% is proposed to be put on the block. At the current market prices, the stake sale could fetch the exchequer about Rs 34,000 crore, including Rs 13,000 crore from NTPC, Rs 6,000 crore from IOC, Rs 2,500 crore from SAIL. Also, a minority stake sale in PFC could fetch Rs 4,000 crore, that in NHPC could garner Rs 3,000 crore, NLC (Rs 2,000 crore) and REC (Rs 1,000 crore).
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