Cabinet nod for disinvestment: Air India stake sale takes off

Group of ministers to decide exact stake to be sold, process of disinvestment

The government on Wednesday gave in-principle approval for disinvesting stake in state-owned Air India. Whether or not the airline will be fully privatised is not yet known. 

“The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the NITI Aayog and has given an in-principle nod for disinvestment of Air India and its five subsidiaries,” said Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. He, however, did not give a timeline for the process.

The government will now have to set up a group of ministers (GoM), headed by Jaitley. It will decide how much stake will be sold and the process of disinvestment. Some of