Government to float more EoIs for strategic sale: Neeraj Gupta

KOLKATA:  The government plans to float more expressions of interest (EoIs) for a strategic sale of public-sector enterprises, where full ownership and management could be handed over to private players, an official said on Saturday.Already, EoIs for eight companies have been floated for the strategic sale, he said.

“EoIs for three to four companies will be floated in four to six weeks,” said Neeraj Gupta, secretary, department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM).

In this context, he said the strategic divestment of Air India was progressing without any hiccups and the government would float an EoI, but did not divulge the time-frame of it.

Speaking at the Merchants Chamber of Commerce and Industry here, Gupta said that DIPAM would make its best endeavour to meet the divestment target of Rs 72,500 crore this fiscal.So far, the government has been able to realise an amount of Rs 52,500 crore through the stake sale process, he added.

Gupta said the Centre was committed to retain a majority in certain PSUs, while state-owned monopolies cannot be given to private hands.Gupta noted the offer for sale (OFS) route was the best way for the government to divest, adding all permissible instruments allowed by SEBI were also in use.

Gupta said the government philosophy behind divestment was not to keep the cash idle and not to conduct business only with equity.