Govt to launch 2nd tranche of Bharat 22-ETF

The government is planning to launch the second tranche of Bharat --22 ETF next week aimed at garnering over Rs 8,000 crore as part of Rs 80,000 crore disinvestment plan this year.

The finance ministry is expected to open the issue on June 19 for anchor investors and on June 20 for all others.

The Centre, as part of its disinvestment programme, approved the setting up of a new Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) last year. This was named as Bharat- 22 ETF. It comprises shares of 22 listed central public sector enterprises, including some of the strategic holding of specified undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI) and other corporate entities.

The state-owned companies that are part of the new Bharat-22 ETF include Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC), Indian Oil Ltd, State Bank of India, Coal India and Nalco.

The other PSUs on the list are Bharat Electronics, Engineers India, NBCC, NTPC, NHPC, SJVNL, GAIL, PGCIL and NLC India. Only three public sector banks—SBI, Indian Bank and Bank of Baroda—figure in the Bharat-22 index.

In the first tranche in November last year, the government had raised Rs 14,500 crore through Bharat 22 ETF.