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BIG STORY February 26, 2021 | The Indian Eye 6

pOst-pandemic ecOnOmy: gOvt Out Of Business

>> Continued from previous page... poor track record. It sought to
“To fast forward the disin- pass off the sale of state-run en-
vestment policy, I am asking tities, such as HPCL to ONGC,
NITI to work out on the next another PSU, as strategic sale,
list of Central Public Sector drawing criticism even from the
companies that would be taken CAG.
up for strategic disinvestment,” It is now trying to push it as
Sitharaman had said. a key reform initiative and has
The Centre will also come even added state-run banks and
out with an incentive package a general insurance company
to encourage states to under- to the list, after specifying that
take disinvestment of their pub- only four strategic sectors —
lic sector companies, she had atomic energy, space and de-
said. “In order to ensure timely fence, transport and telecom,
completion of closure of sick power and petroleum — will
or loss making CPSEs, we will have PSUs. Even in the sectors,
introduce a revised mechanism state-run firms can have a di-
that will ensure timely closure minished presence.
of such units,” the finance min- < Union Finance Minister Nirmala
ister had announced. Sitharaman during a post-budget
Since coming to power in interactive session organised by
2014, the NDA government has the Bangalore Chamber of Indus-
talked about the sale of PSUs, try & Commerce, in Bengaluru on
especially loss-making ones, Sunday. (ANI Photo)
such as Air India, but it has a

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