Conspicuously silent on the disinvestment programme, finance minister P Chidambaram today stepped up pressure on public sector undertakings to increase their investment by over Rs 33,000 crore to Rs 1,18,462 crorebut curtalied equity support in the Union Budget for 2005-06.Assuming nil receipts from disinvestment as against Rs 4,091 crore from partial sale of equity in PSUs in 2004-05, Chidambaram anounced an equity support of Rs 14,040 crore for the fiscal 2005-06, down from Rs 14,331 crore even as hiking the plan investment by PSUs by over 35% from Rs 85,294 crore as per the revised estimates for 2004-05."The government will provide equity support of Rs 14,040 crore equity support and loans of Rs 3,554 crore to central public sector enterprises (CPSE), including railways," finance minister P Chidambaram said in his budget speach.The budget support in 2005-06 to CPSEs has gone up from Rs 17,064 crore as per revised estimates for 2004-05 to Rs 17,593 crore.The shortfall in equity component was made up by increase in loan component, which has gone up to Rs 3553.95 crore from Rs 2673.79 crore in 2004-05.
