Page 9 - Privatisation

Best of BS Opinion: After selling the Maharajah, Inflation conundrum & more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for Wednesday

After selling the Maharajah

Privatisation of Air India should lead to a downsizing of the aviation ministry and other regulatory reforms

BFSI Insight Summit: Privatisation has to be path-dependent, say panelists

Banking was declared a strategic sector by the government under the new privatisation policy, which means the government will only have a limited presence in the sector

BPCL disinvestment delayed as suitors strive for partners: Report

The massive price tag means bidders as well as the Indian government want a consortium with stronger technical and financial muscle for the transaction, the people said.

Reform fuel pricing

Govt must follow a transparent mechanism

Temper expectations from privatisation trade, say analysts

The brokerage says listed PSUs face several challenges and continued government ownership may weigh on their performance

BPCL privatisation likely to face a bump on rising fuel prices in India

A major chunk of the auto fuel price in the country consists of state and central taxes

Govt paying Rs 20 cr daily on Air India, wants quick handover: DIPAM Secy

Two aborted missions, three different ministers, multiple rule changes and two decades later, Indian taxpayers will no longer have to pay Rs 20 crore per day to keep the loss-making Air India flying. While opposition Congress expectedly attacked the decision as selling the family silver, DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said what Tata is getting is not a cash cow but an airline which is bleeding where money needs to be pumped in to refurbish obsolete aircraft and dust up strangled ones while being unable to touch any employee for one year and only be able to resize staff after paying a VRS. "It won't be a very easy task there. Only advantage is they (new Air India owner) are paying the price which they think they can manage. They are not taking the excessive debt accumulated to fund years of losses. We are continuing it as an ongoing concern.... This process has also saved huge amount of taxpayers money going forward," Pandey told PTI. Earlier this month, the government had accept

Timeline for mandatory use of Indian flag on SCI vessels may be shortened

Tax implication of bearing the flag has been a sticking point for suitors

Govt gets financial bids for Central Electronics after Air India deal

The govt seeks to disinvest its 100% shareholding in the PSU, buyer to observe three-year lock in

Air India privatisation reflects govt resolve to bite reform bullet: CII

The chamber said the time was right to expedite disinvestment efforts in the banking space, with privatisation of identified two public sector banks.

Air India privatisation: Rs 16,000 cr unpaid bills to go to govt's AIAHL

As on August 31, Air India had a total debt of Rs 61,562 crore

EY burnishes its credentials with successful Air India sale to Tatas

With the Air India deal closed, the team at EY is gearing up for more government asset sale programmes

DIPAM likely to decide on commercial matters for PSU privatisation

The panel headed by the cabinet secretary is yet to decide whether DIPAM can be empowered to take decisions on pricing matters for PSU privatisation

Privatisation is far more difficult than consolidation

For public sector banks, the government is the superboard, with both ownership and regulatory powers under its belt. Is it ready to give up these powers?

Air India: How the government got rid of the albatross around its neck

Air India's sale process will be used as a case study for future asset sale and privatisation bids

Air India has broken 19-year privatisation jinx

The Union government had been trying to privatise public sector enterprises (PSEs) for four years through what it safely labels 'strategic sale'.

BPCL Privatisation: SEBI unlikely to exempt open offers for Petronet, IGL

India's capital market regulator is unlikely to give exemption to the company acquiring BPCL from making mandatory open offers for Petronet LNG Ltd and Indraprastha Gas

Govt hasn't taken any decision on owner of Air India as yet: Piyush Goyal

The union minister was replying to a question about media reports stating Tatas have emerged as the top bidder for the takeover of debt-laden Air India

A one-horse race

'So as the privatisation of Air India goes into the final lap, I can confirm it is only a one-horse race', says the author