Finance ministry may approach SEBI to seek relaxation on minimum public float norm for PSBs

16 Jul 2018 Evaluate

The finance ministry may approach capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to seek relaxation for certain public sector banks (PSBs) for meeting the minimum 25 percent public shareholding norm. There are 13 state-run banks wherein the government holding is above 75 percent. If these banks are unable to meet the norm by August deadline, the Department of Financial Services will have to approach the SEBI for exemption.

Listed public sector undertakings (PSUs), including banks, have already been provided one year extension till August 21 to comply with the norms. Successive capital infusion in the NPA-ridden banks has taken the government’s holding higher, eating into public float over the last two years. Many PSBs are planning to tap the markets to raise more than Rs 50,000 crore in FY19 to shore up their capital base for business growth and meeting regulatory global risk norms. 

Currently, several methods are available to listed companies to comply with the requirements. These include issuance of shares to public; offer for sale; sale of shares held by promoters through secondary market institutional placement programme; rights issue to public shareholders; and bonus shares to public shareholders. Also, Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) and sale of shares up to 2 percent held by promoters or promoter groups in the open market through block and bulk deal can be done to achieve the minimum 25 percent public float.

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