Target reached, but asset monetisation to continue: DIPAM secretary Arunish Chawla

MUMBAI: The Centre will continue to push ahead with its asset monetisation target through OFS (offer for sale) deals and reduction in stakes in public-sector banks for the rest of the fiscal despite achieving its divestment targets this year, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) secretary Arunish Chawla told ET in an interview.

The government plans to launch a second public Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvITs), ready three companies for IPOs, and reduce stakes in PSU banks closer to 75%, Chawla said.

"We have already identified a cluster of 10 national highways, which will provide the underlying capital asset. So, the second public InvITs is in the works and hopefully before the close of this financial year, it will also come to fruition," Chawla said. "We are also bringing down the equity (stake) in nationalised banks gradually to the minimum public shareholding norm of 75%, that is part of the mandate that we have to share the wealth with the people and also in line with regulations...we are moving ahead on that path."


Also Read: Satellite lights, Google searches cut state growth estimation errors by up to 62%: RBI study

The government raised Rs 9,500 crore by monetising some highway assets through the Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT), which was listed in March 2026.

Chawla said public sector banks with government stakes above 75% are automatic targets for the Centre to reduce ownership. Currently, the government has more than 90% stake in Punjab & Sind Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and UCO Bank.

Also Read: RBI issues final leverage ratio rules for banks, effective April 2027

"We have a market research department, which we call Kurukshetra. We analyse each asset on its merits and take a decision as per the market conditions and as per our internal research to figure out and decide which asset to monetise and when. We have about 70 listed companies in the basket on which we can take a call," he said.

So far this year, the government has raised Rs 62,124 crore through OFS, InvITs and stake sales. It is expected to surpass its targeted Rs 80,000 crore for the current fiscal after the completion of Fairfax' Rs 52,878-crore deal to buy IDBI Bank.

Chawla said he expects to close the IDBI deal by the end of the fiscal after Fairfax gets approvals from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), concludes the share purchase agreements and finalises an open offer as per takeover guidelines.

"The IDBI restructuring is a reform in continuum...It is being restructured as a going concern. Even today, it is a board-managed company and in future also, it will remain a board-managed company," Chawla said.