The Centre proposes to hand over Sambhar Salts, a subsidiary of Hindustan Salts Ltd, to the Rajasthan government with the Department of Heavy Industries seeking the state's response in this regard.
According to officials in the Department of Heavy Industries, the ministry has also submitted details about the operations of Sambhar Salts to government think tank NITI Aayog for further course of action.
If the Rajasthan government agrees to take over the unit, a formal proposal entailing the requisite formalities will be prepared and sent to the Union Cabinet for approval, sources told PTI.
Hindustan Salts Ltd is a Government of India enterprise under the administrative control of the Ministry of Heavy Industries. It is the only PSU involved in the manufacture and sale of edible and industrial salt, rock salt and liquid bromine.
However, Sambhar Salts has been facing tough competition from private players in the last few years and illegal business of brine extraction in the Sambhar Lake.
According to earlier reports, while Sambhar Salts, which has over 90 square miles at Sambhar and Nawa, produces two lakh tonnes of salt per annum, private companies together make around 20 lakh tonnes a year.
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