Strategic Sale in Bharat Pumps Approved

The union cabinet committee on economic affairs cleared the ‘strategic sale’ of Public-Sector undertaking, Bharat Pumps and Compressors Ltd.

The Cabinet has approved Rs 111.59 crore as financial assistance for retired employees of Bharat Pumps and Compressors Ltd, Allahabad.

It has also approved a proposal for discharging statutory dues such as provident fund and gratuity of retired employees as well as outstanding dues of CISF.

Bharat Pumps, under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, had posted a net loss of Rs 4,777 crore in 2014-15 and was recommended for revival and then disinvestment by the NITI Aayog in its report earlier this year.

The Centre has set a target of Rs 20,500 crore from strategic sale in loss-making and sick PSUs this fiscal. Last fiscal it has targeted to raise Rs 28,500 crore from strategic sale, but could not earn a single paisa.

Bharat Pumps is the first PSU to be put for strategic sale by the Narendra Modi government.