This is the time to revaluate the utility of public sector units

Public sector units (PSU), unlike their perception of their anocronistic residue, often play an important role in the economy as Indians. Fiscal data showsThis can be the time of Jetison Dogamas, which has underlined its utility and is useful to take advantage of what is present, rather than stack all our chips on a borrowed idea.

The indifference to PSU was spoken during the Thaccher-Reagan era, when a trans-conceptual convergence focused on reducing the direct or indirect presence of the state in various fields, but mostly in the industry. The role of the state was a relative to the fall of the Berlin wall and the 1989 break-up of the Soviet Union, a force with globalization that demanded resting state control over the major parts of the economy.

India also bought in this global trend, part of the hug of a market was brought as a balance by the crisis of a balance. There have been frequent questions about the usefulness of PSU.

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Now it appears that PSUs actually have some utility, such as to sideline the finance of the Center with heavy dividend payments every year. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) add dividends to central cofers and government expenditure schemes get a sufficient leg-up. The total dividend receipts from all PSUs, including public sector banks, financial institutions and RBI, were budget to increase by 55% during 2024-25 compared to the backward years. Now reports indicate that the final dividend outgo from PSUs can be much higher than this, which can promote the fiscal state of the government.

The trend is also likely to continue in 2025-26, PSU again stepped into the plate. Growing dividend yields and payments from the state-owned units may also give the Center an incentive to slow down its fluctuations of PSU equity. This year’s budget has also dropped its disintegration target in the form of a separate line item.

Of course, there is no match for the private sector on public sector efficiency, disinvestment remains a qualified goal and there are many PSUs that should undergo stake sales; A flip dogma will still be dogma. However, the Coffer-Filling Mission of PSUS works for some time.

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In a 2016 office memo from the Budget Division of the Finance Ministry, the PSU will have to pay as 30% of its dividend after tax, or 30% of the government’s equity, whichever is higher. Oddly, it also suggests that PSUs should use market borrowings entirely or partially for their capital investment requirements, as per the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission that a PSU will have to abolish all its options to increase additional loans, before he transferred profits to reserve for that purpose.

It may be favorable to the Indian economy a decade ago. But today, PSU Capex can achieve too much, as an important challenge is to encourage private investment, make jobs and increase the demand for consumption. Typically, PSU capital expenses support a wide swath of medium, small and mini units in various price chains. A step in PSU Capex will create a multiplicity impact on income in areas where the government has had little impact so far.

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Even here is a climate angle. For example, take Coal India among the highest dividend donors. It can use the part of that outgo for green investment to reduce its carbon footprint and future proof. The PSU was performed in the universe, including other fossil-fuel companies, it can significantly move the needle on the greenery of the Indian industry.