Centre releases Rs 213 Crores Grants to strengthen rural local bodies in Assam (See 'Corp Brief') Strengthening Bilateral trade and International Market Linkage for fisheries exports (See 'Corp Brief') Scindia reviews BSNL's Q3 Performance; Stresses on Quality of Service (See 'Corp Brief') CCI okays combination between Bhushan Power, JSW Sambalpur, JFE Steel and JSW Kalinga (See 'Corp Brief') Companies Act – Company Court cannot order release of assets to ex-director without adjudicating rival claims: HC (See 'Legal Desk') CCI permits Apollo Hospitals to pick up equity in Apollo Health (See 'Corp Brief') CCI approves acquisition of equity share of Thriveni Pellets by Tata Steel (See 'Corp Brief') CCI allows Emirates NBD Bank to pick up equity in RBL Bank (See 'Corp Brief') Goyal to address 65th Central Geological Programming Board Meeting in Delhi (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - Assets derived from unlawful betting activity may be treated as proceeds of crime: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Govt's focus is on climate-smart aquaculture and efficient resource utilisation (See 'Corp Brief') Sonowal Issues Clarification on Forged Letter (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Arbitral tribunal is legally empowered to terminate proceedings u/s 38(2) of Arbitration Act, if party fails to pay its share of arbitrator's fees: SC (See 'Legal Desk') Science ministries push thematic clustering of Startups at review meeting (See 'Corp Brief') Nearly 100 delegates from over 70 countries to participate at ECI event (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Bill discounting is short-term, high-risk commercial financing mechanism where elevated interest rates are neither unusual nor inherently unfair: SC (See 'Legal Desk') CEA has successfully conducted 220 elections; 70 elections currently underway (See 'Corp Brief') Service Matter - Government is bound by same limitation laws as any other party; delay caused by bureaucratic procedures cannot be mechanically condoned: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Khattar inaugurates Centre of Excellence for power sector regulatory affairs at Delhi IIT (See 'Corp Brief') Misc - Civil suit seeking cancellation of a registered sale deed is barred u/s 34 of SARFAESI Act when SARFAESI measures have been initiated: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Port, Inland Waterways Projects Worth Rs 552 Crore launched to boost Riverine Logistics (See 'Corp Brief') Manjhi inaugurates PM Vishwakarma Haat 2026 in New Delhi (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - If property is attached for value thereof to proceeds of crime, it happens when proceeds of crime acquired or obtained directly or indirectly is not available in hands of person: SAFEMA (See 'Legal Desk') AIIA celebrates National Startup Day 2026 (See 'Corp Brief') SEBI - Proposed Acquirer shall be exempted from complying with requirements of sub-regulation (1) of regulation 3 and regulation 4 of SAST Regulations, 2011 with respect to direct acquisition in Target Company: SEBI (See 'Legal Desk') 'Jo Vaada Kiya, Wo Nibhana Padega' - Promissory Estoppel Reaffirmed: Supreme Court Reiterates the Rules of State Accountability (See CORP EINSICHT)

Closure of pharma PSUs - Cabinet approves amendment in norms for sale of land

Published: Jul 17, 2019

By TIOLCORPLAWS News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 17, 2019: THE Union Cabinet has approved the following decisions:

  1. Modifying the earlier decision dated 28.12.2016 of sale of land of PSUs to government agencies and instead permitting the sale of land as per revised DPE's guidelines dated 14.06.2018; and
  2. Providing budgetary support as loan to the tune of Rs 330.35 cr for meeting the employees' liabilities (Unpaid salary - Rs. 158.35 cr. + VRS Rs.172.00 cr.) as per following break-up:

a. IDPL - Rs.     6.50cr.

b. RDPL- Rs.  43.70cr.

c. HAL   - Rs. 280.15 cr.

(iii) Constitution of a Committee of Ministers for taking all decisions pertaining to closure/ strategic sale of the four Public Sector Undertakings, including the sale of assets and clearance of outstanding liabilities.

Major Impact:

  1. Budgetary support of Rs 330.35 cr. would help in disbursing the unpaid salaries and providing support for VRS of employees of IDPL, RDPL and HAL. The decision would mitigate sufferings of more than 1000 employees of these PSUs; and
  2. Setting up of a Committee of Ministers would expedite in process of implementation of the earlier Cabinet decision dated 28.12.2016 for closure of IDPL and RDPL and strategic sale of HAL and BCPL.

Background:

Cabinet had decided on 28.12.2016 to sell surplus land of Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL), Indian Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL), Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (RDPL) and Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (BCPL) through open competitive bidding to Government agencies and clear the outstanding liabilities from the sale proceeds. It was decided that after meeting the liabilities, IDPL and RDPL would be closed and HAL and BCPL put up for strategic sale. Department took earnest efforts for sale of surplus land, but could not find buyers, despite issuing tenders more than once. Meanwhile, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has issued revised guidelines on 14.06.2018 in respect of disposal of land of the PSUs. As funds could not be generated through sale of surplus land, the employees in few of the PSUs (HAL and RDPL) could not be paid salaries and VRS scheme floated. As such, it was decided to dispose of the land as per revised DPE's guidelines and seek up-front budgetary support for meeting employees' liabilities.

TIOL CORP SEARCH

TIOL GROUP WEBSITES