Hard-selling divestment

Despite drawing a blank on the disvestment front in the current financial year up till now, why is the disinvestment department so confident of meeting the Rs 30,000 crore target in the remaining six-odd months? According to a senior official, Finance Minister P Chidambaram is working overtime to convince his colleagues in charge of the ministries handling companies listed for disinvestment this year to support the finance ministry’s effort. So now, much depends on the new finance minister’s persuasive powers, especially since they’re pitted against a sluggish market.