Infra sector gets Rs 6,500 cr PE investments since Jan '08

The infrastructure sector of the country received private equity (PE) investments of around Rs 6,500 crore since January 2008, a survey says.

According to a joint Study conducted by Assocham and Ernst & Young, infrastructure sector has received close to $1.4 billion of PE investments through 35 deals during the January 2008 to November 2009 period.

Meanwhile, the power sector has attracted investment worth around $751.2 million through 15 transactions in the period under review, the study said.

One of the major transactions in the power sector was by three PE firms -- Sequoia Capital India, Bessemer Venture Partners and Citi Venture Capital's -- $100 million investment in Hyderabad-based Ind-Barath Power Infra, it said.

As per the study Indian infrastructure companies have raised more than Rs 6,000 crore through QIPs in 2009, led by engineering major L&T, which alone raised Rs 1,872 crore in October this year.

Meanwhile, GVK Power & Infrastructure, Lanco Infratech and Punj Lloyd have raised around Rs 700 crore each. PTC has concluded a QIP placement of Rs 500 crore in May this year and KSK Energy Ventures raised more than Rs 515 crore in November.

"The estimated equity requirements of the private sector for development of the remaining period of the 11th and 12th Plan projects is around Rs 68,000 crore," Assocham President Swati Piramal said.