Cabinet proposal on PSU cross-holdings soon

28 Nov 2011 Evaluate

In a crucial step towards gathering surplus cash of state-run companies for the delayed disinvestment, the finance ministry is likely to move a cabinet proposal to allow government companies to acquire equity in other public sector units (PSUs). After repeated delay on follow-on public offers (FPOs), because of the unstable and declining markets, the government feels that this move would allow it to strike the reserves of cash rich companies, helping achieve the disinvestment target of Rs 40,000 crore.

As per a finance ministry official, ‘there are some companies that have more surplus cash than their annual turnover. So, if they do not have any capital expenditure plans, they can invest this amount in some state-owned blue chip company.’

The finance ministry is already looking at other options, including cross-holding among state companies, share buyback, auction of strategic stakes and special dividend to raise revenues from state companies to fund its rising fiscal deficit. Further the ministry has already asked PSUs the details of their cash reserves and funds need for future to get an idea of kind of investment each company can make to buy equity in another state-run company.

Moreover, profit-making state companies have a certain amount of freedom of investments, but the disinvestment department feels that cabinet approval will allow it to facilitate this process of cross-holding among companies. It will also signal to the cash-rich PSUs the government's sanction to deploy their surpluses in shares of other PSUs without the fear of being questioned.

So far, the government has managed to raise Rs 1,145 crore from disinvestment, but Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier said that the government will stay with the Rs 40,000 crore target, signifying that it was ready to explore all options. Referring to auction or cross-holding mechanism finance ministry official said, ‘given the market conditions, no company will be willing to come with a public offer. The cabinet approval will give the government the scope to explore other options.’

The finance ministry, however, is already finding it difficult to get many of the administrative ministries to appoint independent directors on the board of their PSUs without which these companies cannot approach the capital market.

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