Along with the opposition, key BJP allies Shiv Sena and Samata Party also slammed Divestment Minister Arun Shourie for going ahead with the strategic sale of the equity of the two public sector oil giants.
Attorney General Soli Sorabjee is likely to give by Friday his opinion on legal aspects of divestment of oil PSUs HPCL and BPCL, which were nationalised through Acts of Parliament.
In an apparent bid to resolve the row over divestment in public sector units including the one involving HPCL and BPCL, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee held an informal meeting of senior Cabinet ministers.\n\n
One reason for the BJP's lapse, if it can be so described, was perhaps the search for an emotive issue prior to the next general election.
The divestment ministry on Tuesday favoured discounts to retail investors in the forthcoming public issues in six companies beginning with public float of IPCL on February 20.
The government said on Friday that all existing multiple access radio relay systems would be replaced with wireless in local loop technology by the next financial year.
The government on Thursday announced fresh concessions for telecom players while singling out cellular operators for additional benefits in view of the heavy licence fee paid by them.
The information technology sector employs 650,000 workers and professionals directly or indirectly and makes a contribution of 2.4 per cent to India's GDP and 20.4 per cent to its exports, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.
The divestment ministry would concentrate on "legal option" to resolve the divestment impasse arising out of the Supreme Court verdict on HPCL and BPCL, but would continue with residual stake sale plans in companies like CMC Ltd and VSNL.
Indian Oil Corporation is India's only Fortune 500 company.
The government has approved a full-scope programme of the restructured socio-economic project Media Lab Asia for a period of nine years.
The inquiry will bring under a scanner Arun Shourie, the then disinvestment minister, and Bharat Hotels Chairperson Jyotsna Suri.
State-owned Telcommunications Consultants India Ltd is planning to go for an initial public offering for offloading 25 per cent stake in domestic market, subject to government nod.
In a bid to resolve the row between cellular and basic players, Communication and IT Minister Arun Shourie constituted on Friday a 7-member committee including Reliance's Mukesh Ambani and Bharti's Sunil Mittal
Indian IT major Infosys Technologies' proposal to increase its American Depository Shares from 3.5 per cent to between 6.27 and 7.78 per cent was amongst 50 foreign direct investment proposals
The Cabinet Committee on Divestment is likely to meet on Sunday to consider various issues relating to the privatisation of HPCL and BPCL, following a favourable opinion given by Attorney General Soli Sorabjee.
Divestment Minister Arun Shourie said on Tuesday that his ministry had furnished all the facts to Attorney General for getting his opinion on the legal aspects of privatising public sector oil company, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation.
Controversial disinvestment of Mumbai's Centaur hotel rocked Rajya Sabha Tuesday as Shiv Sena member Sanjay Nirupam alleged harassment of its employees leading to heart attacks and strokes to five of them.
The government does not propose to permit foreign direct investment in retail business, Commerce Minister Arun Shourie assured the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The government on Thursday warned the industry of being isolated in the World Trade Organisation and overtaken by countries like China if it continued to maintain a negative and suspicious attitude rather than effectively engaging in a dialogue.
An interim order putting on hold the contentious sedition law and the consequential registration of FIRs will continue as the Supreme Court granted additional time to the Centre on Monday to take "appropriate steps" with regard to the reviewing of the colonial-era provision.
Union IT and Communications Minister Arun Shourie on Friday said Indian IT companies should diversify to Europe and respond to the outsourcing backlash by expanding its markets.
The government on Saturday allowed roaming facility on mobile phones for Pakistan for a period of four months, apparently in the view of the ongoing Indo-Pak cricket series.
In a bid to promote India as a hardware destination, a high-powered delegation headed by the IT secretary K K Jaswal will visit the United States and European countries to make board-level presentations.
The government on Monday said the decision on the timing of GAIL and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation public issues would be clear by the middle of February, while exuding confidence that both the issues would be completed during this fiscal.
The government on Wednesday said it has started the process of appointing financial advisors to offload 10 per cent stake in state-owned oil refinery Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.
With a view to enhance the use of information technology in government functioning, department of IT will soon come out with broad outlines of the national e-governance plan.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances