State-run power equipment maker BHEL has paid an interim dividend of 40 per cent for 2016-17, which in terms of amounts to Rs 194.8 crore.

With this, it has maintained its impeccable track record of earning profits and rewarding investors by paying dividends uninterruptedly for four decades without a break, the company said in a statement.

According to the statement, a cheque of Rs 123.47 crore towards interim dividend for 2016-17 on the equity (63.06 per cent) held by the Central Government was presented to the Heavy Industries Minister, Anant Geete, by BHEL CMD Atul Sobti here, in the presence of Heavy Industries Secretary, Girish Shankar, yesterday.

BHEL directors as well as other senior officials of the ministry were present.