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New Delhi: State-run Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has become the 11th Maharatna central public sector enterprise (CPSE) of India as the Centre conferred the prestigious status to the PSU on Tuesday. An official statement released by PFC in this regard said, "Government of India accorded the prestigious 'Maharatna' status to the state-owned Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), thus giving PFC greater operational and financial autonomy. An order to this effect was issued today by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), under the Ministry of Finance."
Incorporated in 1986, PFC is the largest infrastructure finance company today which is exclusively dedicated to the power sector under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power.
The grant of 'Maharatna' status to PFC will impart enhanced powers to its Board of Directors while taking financial decisions. The board of a 'Maharatna' CPSE can make equity investments to undertake financial joint ventures and wholly-owned subsidiaries and undertake mergers and acquisitions in India and abroad, subject to a ceiling of 15 percent of the net worth of the concerned CPSE, limited to Rs 5,000 crore in one project. The Board can also structure and implement schemes relating to personnel and human resource management and training. They can also enter into technology joint ventures or other strategic alliances among others.
Union Minister of Power RK Singh congratulated the PSU and remarked that "conferment of the 'Maharatna' status is a reflection of the confidence of the government in PFC's strategic role in the overall development of the power sector in India and an endorsement of its sterling performance. "This new recognition will enable PFC to offer competitive financing for the power sector, which will go a long way into making available affordable and reliable 'power for all 24×7.' The enhanced powers that come with the Maharatna Status will also help PFC in pushing the government's agenda of funding under the National Infrastructure Pipeline, national commitment of 40 percent green energy by 2030 and effective monitoring and implementation of the New Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme with an outlay of more than Rs 3 lakh crore," said Singh.
PFC CMD RS Dhillon said, "PFC has received the Maharatna status on the back of an exceptional financial performance during the last three years. Despite Covid, PFC witnessed the highest-ever annual sanctions and disbursements to the power sector to the tune of Rs 1.66 lakh crore and Rs 88,300 crore during FY 2020-21 and the highest-ever profit of Rs 8,444 crore in FY 2020-21. PFC played a significant role amid Covid by funding DISCOMs under the Liquidity Infusion Scheme ('Aatmanirbhar Bharat Scheme') to avert liquidity crisis in the power sector. With the enhanced powers of Maharatna, PFC will diversify its operations to further accelerate its business growth going forward and leverage its position for achieving the government's objectives for the overall development of the power sector. We are immensely thankful to the employees of the corporation and the past management for their unstinted support, contribution and dedication in making this great feat possible and extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Power, without whose support this recognition wouldn't have been possible."
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