New Delhi: The government is understood to be examining the option of offering the entire 100 percent stake in national carrier Air India to a private bidder instead of the earlier 76 per cent. The government currently owns 100 per cent stake in Air India.
The government is understood to be examining whether to offer more stake in Air India beyond 76 per cent stake as speculation is rife that potential bidders may prefer picking up the entire 100 percent stake rather than have the government continuing to play a role in Air India with 24 per cent stake.
The government had earlier extended the Expression of Interest (EoI) submission deadline from May 14 to May 31 this month while the deadline for intimation to Qualified Interested Bidders was extended from May 28 to June 15 this year.
The Union government had in March this year issued the “Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM)” for “inviting the EoI for Strategic Disinvestment” of the loss-making national carrier Air India through a bid process wherein the government would sell 76 per cent stake (Equity Share Capital) in the airline. The memorandum covered disinvestment of Air India along with Air India Express (low-cost arm and subsidiary of Air India) and the Air India SATS Airport Services.
