 "Neyveli disinvestment on Aug 2, govt to raise Rs 350 cr")
The government is selling 3.56% stake or over 5.58 crore shares in NLC through an institutional placement programme (IPP) in which the Tamil Nadu based state entities would be given preference while allotment of shares.
"The EGoM has decided on a price band for the NLC stake sale. The issue will hit markets on August 2," Disinvestment Secretary Ravi Mathur told reporters after the meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers here.
More From This Section
He said the price band would be communicated to the stock exchanges shortly.
Earlier this month, market regulator Sebi had given go-ahead to the disinvestment department's proposal to give preference in share allotment to those PSUs located in states in which Neyveli's generating units were located.
Tamil Nadu government has been insisting that it would buy the entire central government stake that is being divested in the state lignite mining and power producing company and had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard last month.
The TN government has said it has 5 state PSUs which can be qualified as QIBs (Qualified Institutional Buyer). The DoD has sought exemption from Sebi so that preference is given to allot shares to these PSUs only.
Shares of NLC closed at Rs 54.35, down 4.82% over previous close on the BSE.
Government currently holds 93.56% stake in NLC and the share sale in done to meet the minimum public holding norm of market regulator Sebi.
Sebi has set a deadline of August 8, 2013, for all listed central public sector units to have a minimum 10% public shareholding.
The department of disinvestment (DoD) was originally planning to divest 5% of its stake in the Tamil Nadu-based mining company.
However, since the IPP mode is allowed only to bring down promoter stake to 10%, the department would now sell only 3.56% or over 5.58 crore shares in the company to lower government stake to 90%.