Divestment Ministry on Friday said it has received in-principle clearance from Petroleum Ministry and is going ahead with the sale of government equity in Oil India Ltd (OIL).
The total shares that the government will sell in OIL are yet to be decided, he said, adding, "the process of inter-ministerial consultation is on."
The government owns 78.43 per cent in OIL. OIL had in September 2009 hit the market with an initial public offer and had mopped up over Rs 4,900 crore (Rs 49 billion).
As part of the IPO, the government offloaded its 10 per cent equity, while company issued 11 per cent fresh equity. Khan further said that the government has identified GAIL (India) Ltd as a possible candidate for stake sale.
He, however, did not mention if the OIL and GAIL issue would be done in the current fiscal.
The government aims to raise Rs 40,000 crore (Rs 400 billion) through the sale of stakes in state-run companies in the current fiscal, but it has so far been able to mop up only Rs 1,145 crore (Rs 11.45 billion)
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