“There is a completely laid out process through which the final winner will be selected,” Piyush Goyal said.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday that the government has no decision taken So far on Air India and the final winner will be selected through a well defined process.
“I am in Dubai from a day ago and I don’t think any such decision has been taken. Of course the bids were invited … and it is evaluated by the authorities and in due course , there is a completely prescribed process through which the final winner will be selected,” he told reporters here.
He was responding to a question about media reports that Tata had emerged as the top bidder for the acquisition of debt-ridden Air India.
Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), the government department responsible for privatization, had said in a tweet on Friday that the Center has not yet approved any financial bid for Air India.
“Media reports approving financial bids by Government of India in AI disinvestment case are wrong. Media will be informed about the decision of the government,” he tweeted.
Asked about the proposed free trade agreement with the UAE, he said there are a lot of opportunities for Indian businesses in sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, pharma and healthcare. He said that both goods and services have tremendous potential.
On investments, he said, “We have to encourage Indian businesses to engage with the UAE.”
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