Navratna Status Granted to NHPC, SJVN, RailTel PSUs

September 3, 2024

NHPC, SJVN, and RailTel, three major public sector companies in India, have been given the prestigious “Navratna” status by the Government of India. This makes them the 18th, 19th, and 20th companies to earn this special title. This status is a significant achievement for these companies, giving them more freedom and power to make decisions and expand their operations.

Eligibility Criteria

To be awarded Navratna status, a company must meet specific criteria:

Miniratna-I Status: The company must already have Miniratna-I status, which is a lower level of recognition given to profitable public sector companies.

Excellent Performance: The company must have received an “Excellent” or “Very Good” rating in its performance evaluation (MoU rating) for at least three of the last five years.

Strong Financial Performance: The company must score at least 60 points in six key financial indicators, such as Net Profit, Net Worth, and Earnings Per Share.

Investment Autonomy

With Navratna status, NHPC, SJVN, and RailTel now have more freedom to make investment decisions:

Investment Autonomy: These companies can now invest up to ₹1,000 crore or 15% of their net worth in a single project without needing approval from the government. They can also invest up to 30% of their net worth in a year if it does not exceed the ₹1,000 crore limit.

Expanded Operational Capabilities: The Navratna status also allows these companies to set up subsidiaries abroad, form joint ventures, and restructure their organizations to improve efficiency and performance.

Overview of the Companies

SJVN (Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited): SJVN, which became a Miniratna in 2008, manages a large portfolio of 56,802 MW across 75 energy projects, including hydroelectric, solar, and wind power.

NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation): Established in 1975, NHPC is one of India’s leading hydropower companies, with an installed capacity of 7,144.2 MW. The company aims to increase its capacity to 23,000 MW by 2032 and 50,000 MW by 2047, focusing on major projects in northeastern states like Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

RailTel: In 2000, RailTel provided telecom infrastructure and broadband services in India. The company manages over 55,000 kilometers of optical fiber networks along railway tracks, making it one of the largest telecom infrastructure providers in the country. RailTel also offers Wi-Fi services at railway stations and supports various government initiatives like Smart Cities and e-governance.

The announcement of Navratna’s status has drawn attention to the shares of these companies. However, despite this positive news, the shares of SJVN, NHPC, and RailTel have recently experienced significant declines, with SJVN and NHPC shares down by 18% and RailTel shares down by 21% from their all-time highs.

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