PFC completes REC acquisition, pays Rs 14,500 cr to govt; deal helps meet disinvestment target for current fiscal

New Delhi: State-owned Power Finance Corporation (PFC) on Thursday completed the acquisition of majority stake in REC Ltd by transferring Rs 14,500 crore to the government, an official said. The transaction has helped the government meet its disinvestment target of Rs 80,000 crore for the current financial year. “The entire consideration of Rs 14,500 crore for acquiring 52.63 percent equity of the government of India in REC is paid by PFC through RTGS (real-time gross settlement) mode this morning,” the official told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_6013191” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] The official said PFC chairman and managing director Rajeev Sharma handed over the RTGS advice to power secretary A K Bhalla on Thursday to complete the acquisition. The money has been transferred into the government’s account online. The official further said the government’s 52.63 percent equity in REC would be transferred in the name of the PFC by the closing of the stock market on Thursday. PFC has raised money from Bank of Baroda, Life Insurance Corporation and State Bank of India, among others, to make the payment. Earlier on 20 March, PFC had inked a share purchase agreement to acquire 103.94 crore equity shares of Rs 10 each of REC Ltd. This deal was in pursuance to the in-principle approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for strategic sale of 52.63 percent of paid-up equity shareholding of REC held by the government to PFC, along with the transfer of management control. Both PFC and REC are navratna central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) with a combined annual revenue of about Rs 50,000 crore and this acquisition is a step towards consolidation of companies operating in the same space. PFC bought REC shares at Rs 139.50 per piece with total acquisition cost of about Rs 14,500 crore.