Wednesday, January 08, 2020

Air India sale ready to take off: GoM okays EoI, share purchase agreement

New Delhi/Mumbai: A group of ministers (GoM) on Tuesday finalised the sale of the entire government stake in state-owned Air India (AI). The alternative mechanism for AI, led by Home Minister Amit Shah, approved the Expression of Interest (EoI) for prospective suitors in the airline. The public announcement through newspaper advertisements will be done within two weeks, officials involved in the sale process said.

The GoM also gave in-principle approval to hive off around Rs 20,000 crore of additional debt and liabilities to a special purpose vehicle, to make it more attractive to prospective buyers.

“The committee has approved the Expression of Interest, share purchase agreement, and restructuring of further debt today. The EoI will be open to bidders and public shortly,” a senior government official said.

This is the third time the government is trying to privatise AI. The Centre had in 2017 tried and failed to sell the carrier as no bidders responded to the EoI. According to the audited accounts of the carrier, at the end of FY19, it had Rs 58,351 crore of debt. A successful sale will help the government save money for welfare schemes, from its already stretched revenue. Till FY19, it had infused Rs 30,000 crore in the airline but failed to revive its fortunes.
People in the know said a proposal to transfer additional debt and liabilities of around Rs 10,000 crore each would be absorbed by the government, to lighten the burden for prospective buyers. “An in-principle approval has been given to hive off a portion of additional debt and some liabilities like dues to oil companies and airport operators as well as pending salary dues and benefits to permanent and retired employees…,” a second official said.

As of FY19, Air India had assets worth Rs 28,000 crore and liabilities estimated at Rs 22,000 crore, primarily dues to vendors such as airports and oil companies and short-term working capital loans.
Out of a total debt of Rs 58,000 crore, the government has already transferred Rs 29,500 crore to the special purpose vehicle Air India Asset Holding. Now, another Rs 10,000 crore of debt hive off has been approved, leaving the bidder with Rs 18,500 crore of debt.
08/01/20 Arindam Majumder & Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

0 comments:

Post a Comment