IDBI Bank privatisation on track: DIPAM

NEW DELHI: The government on Friday said the disinvestment of IDBI Bank is on track as per the defined strategic sale process.

Debunking media reports which indicated a possibility of deferment of IDBI Bank disinvestment, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said the stake sale is in the post-EoI stage.

''The transaction continues to be on track as per the defined process in post-EoI stage following receipts of multiple EoIs,'' DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey tweeted. The government and the LIC are together selling about 61 per cent stake in IDBI Bank and had in January received multiple Expressions of Interest (EoIs) for the same. DIPAM, which manages government holding in state-owned enterprises, in October last year invited EoIs for selling a 30.48 per cent stake in IDBI Bank, along with LIC's 30.24 per cent stake in the bank.

The government and LIC together hold a 94.72 per cent stake in IDBI Bank, which will come down to 34 per cent after the strategic sale. Currently, the government and the RBI are in the process of vetting the bids received. Security clearance from Government and Fit and Proper clearance from the RBI would be necessary for the bidders to move to the second stage of bidding process which is due diligence and subsequent invitation of financial bids. The investors who have put in EoI have already submitted required information to secure fit and proper and security clearance. Officials expect the transaction to get over in the second half of the next fiscal beginning April 2023.

Pursuant to the transaction, the government will own a 15 per cent stake and LIC 19 per cent in IDBI Bank, taking their total holding to 34 per cent.