Reviving disinvestment

This must be a top priority for the next govt

At a Business Standard event last month, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reiterated the central government’s commitment to the privatisation policy. Some concerns in this context emerged after the Interim Budget, presented on February 1, did not explicitly provide the disinvestment target for the year. The minister’s statement thus is reassuring. The new public-sector policy was announced as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package during the pandemic. It was also part of the Union Budget 2021-22. The policy envisages disinvestment in all strategic and non-strategic areas. The government will maintain a bare minimum presence of central public-sector enterprises (CPSEs) in