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Ever since the finance minister (FM) announced in her budget speech that the government will privatise a couple of banks and a general insurance company in the coming financial year, speculation has been rife about the possible candidates for disinvestment. There has been another major announcement, that of raising the limit for foreign direct investment (FDI) in insurance to 74% which will, indeed, have a far-reaching impact on the insurance landscape in India. The rise in FDI cap merits a separate assessment; this article attempts to examine the likelihood of success of the privatisation effort.
What is not clear from the announcement is the reason for taking this step. Is it merely to meet the Budget deficit, or is this the outcome of a paradigm shift that the government has no business to be in business? Or the decision to privatise is driven by the government’s inability or unwillingness to keep pumping more and more capital in government-owned general insurance companies?