'FY24 disinvestment target is pragmatic, but challenging'

LICis a long-term investor and has diversified portfolios, TUHIN KANTA PANDEY, secretary, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management Dipam), tells Shrimi Choudhary in an interview, amid concerns about the insurer's exposure to Adani group companies. He also sees the FY24 disinvestment target as pragmatic, yet challenging because of uncertainties in the market. Edited excerpts:

Do you think LIC shareholders need to be concerned about its exposure to Adani group companies?

Is the development posing a systemic risk? I can't comment on "systemic risk" as these issues have been looked at by the regulators. They (LIC & banks) have a limit on large exposures. Both banks and LIC have clarified that they don't have a large exposure to the Adani group. LIC keeps investing in companies as prescribed under the Irdai rules. A very large proportion of the LIC investment has to be in government bonds and only a smaller portion can go into equities. In equities also, it has diversified portfolios. So the short-term movement of individual stocks does not impact them. Overall, LIC and regulators must be watching the change in the value of its (the former's) investments.

The disinvestment target for FY24 is pegged at ₹51,000 crore. Is it a realistic target and how are you planning to achieve it? It is a pragmatic target but achieving this is a challenge because of uncertainties in the market.