Divestment target at Rs 16,027 cr

The government on Monday cut its disinvestment target by more than half to Rs 16,027 crore for the current financial year and pegged the proceeds at Rs 36,925 crore for 2014-15.

In the Budget last year, Finance Minister P Chidambaram had estimated to mobilise Rs 40,000 crore by selling minority stakes in state-owned companies.

As per the interim Budget 2014-15 presented in Parliament, the receipts from disinvestment for 2013-14 have been revised downward to Rs 16,027 crore from Rs 40,000 crore.

So far this fiscal, ending on March 31, the government has raised about Rs 3,500 crore through stake sale in PSUs.

As far as government's residual stake sale in private companies is concerned, the interim Budget has lowered the revised estimates to Rs 3,000 crore against the earlier projection of Rs 14,000 crore.

For the next fiscal, the government aims to garner Rs 15,000 crore from the residual stake sale.

The government hold minority stake in erstwhile PSUs -- Hindustan Zinc Ltd and Balco. Besides, it also holds some stake in three companies, L&T, ITC and Axis Bank through SUUTI.

The Cabinet has already approved stake sale in HZL and Balco through auction route.
SUUTI has already appointed three merchant bankers for stake sale in Axis Bank.
Government holds 29.5 per cent in HZL and 49 per cent in aluminium manufacturer Balco.