Niti making new list of sick PSUs for divestment: Amitabh Kant

Government think-tank NITI Aayog is preparing another list of sick PSUs that can be privatised, its CEO Amitabh Kant said today.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had asked the think- tank to look into the viability of sick state-run companies. The Aayog has already recommended strategic divestment of 40 sick public sector units.

"NITI Aayog has already recommended 40 sick PSUs for strategic disinvestment. Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) is working on it and the process is on advanced stage.

"...We have already sent four lists (of sick PSUs). We are working on the fifth list.We will also prepare sixth and seventh list (of sick PSUs)," Kant said here.

The government expects to raise Rs 800 billion from PSU disinvestment in the next fiscal, lower than Rs 1 lakh crore raised this financial year.

The 2017-18 Budget had set the target of disinvestment in public sector units at Rs 725 billion.

This included Rs 46,500 crore as disinvestment of CPSEs, Rs 150 billion from strategic disinvestment and Rs 110 billion from listing of insurance companies.