BRPSE favours merger of four state-owned construction cos

A top government body for PSUs revival has made a case for merger of four state-owned construction firms, including NBCC and Hindustan Prefab, arguing that there is great synergy between them.     
The Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE) has constituted a task force to examine different options which may include project-based consortium for business bids, sources said.
However, there is an opposition to the proposal in two of the cases-National Project Construction Corporation Ltd (NPCC) and Hindustan Prefab Ltd (HPL), they said.     


Two of the four companies are sick and have been put on the revival package.
National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) and HPL have positive balance sheets with net worth of Rs 637 crore and Rs 10.09 crore, respectively.
NBCC, which achieved a profit of Rs 118 crore on a turnover of Rs 3,115 crore in 2010-11, would like to go in for a joint venture route with other PSUs like HPL and Hindustan Steelworks Construction Ltd (HSCL), instead of outright merger.
The proposal for merger was discussed at the meeting of the BRPSE in June where the reconstruction board felt that all these companies in one way or other are engaged in construction activities and possess synergies.
A combined entity by way of merger may create a giant company and are capable of becoming a navratna firm."
However, in case of NPCC, the administrative ministry of water resources said that though the proposal of merger is to be examined, it would not like it as the ministry wanted the NPCC to regain the original stature in civil construction.
Also, it would lead to personnel adjustment problems, sources said.
Besides, HPL informed the board about its plan to start prefab steel and concrete through a joint venture with SAIL.
Therefore, it showed unwillingness for merger, they added.
During 2009-10, NPCC net worth stood negative at Rs 118.75 crore as on March 31, 2010 due to accumulated losses of Rs 795.48 crore. It registered a profit of Rs 31.29 crore on the turnover of Rs 1,003 crore in 2009-10.
HPL turnover was Rs 162.42 crore and profit after tax stood at Rs 2.47 crore, while HSCL turnover was Rs 800 crore and net loss was Rs 59.5 crore, in the 2009-10 fiscal.