Govt clears stake sale in CIL, ONGC, NHPC; may get Rs 43k cr

Clearing the decks for mega disinvestment drive, the government today approved diluting its equity stake in bluechip companies Coal India, ONGC and NHPC, which is likely to fetch Rs 43,000 crore to exchequer.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the disinvestment of 10 per cent paid-up equity capital in Coal India (CIL), an official statement said.

At present, the government shareholding in the coal mining company is 89.65 per cent."The decision to disinvest would help the government realise an optimum price for the offer for sale of 10 per cent of the government's shareholding in the company," it said.

The CCEA also cleared selling government's 5 per cent paid-up capital in ONGC and "this would further broad base the shareholding of the company and would enhance disinvestment receipts". Government's stake in the company stands at 68.94 per cent.

Besides these two, 11.36 per cent disinvestment in hydro power generator NHPC was also approved. Government holds 85.96 per cent stake in company.

At current market prices, the sale of shares in state- owned CIL, ONGC and NHPC could garner over Rs 23,000 crore, Rs 18,000 crore and Rs 2,800 crore respectively, helping the government meet its disinvestment target of Rs 43,425 crore for this fiscal.

Meanwhile, sources said the stake sale in the three companies would be done through the Offer For Sale (OFS) process, popularly known auction route.

The government has already selected merchant bankers for managing ONGC and NHPC disinvestment and is in the process for doing so for CIL.

ONGC shares closed at Rs 445.30, down 0.79 per cent at BSE. CIL shares last traded at Rs 373.85 (down 1.80 per cent) and of NHPC at Rs 22.40 (down 0.44 per cent).