Govt studying proposal to put Scooters India back on track

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The government on Thursday said it is examining the proposal to revive and modernise ailing Scooters India Ltd (SIL).

Asked whether the government has any proposal to revive and modernise SIL, Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Praful Patel said, "Yes. The matter is being examined." During April-February this fiscal, the company registered a net loss of Rs 15.2 crore, he said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

In May last year, the Cabinet had approved selling of the government's entire 95.38 per cent stake in SIL to private players. But, later the plan was shelved since there were not many buyers for it. The company — which has about 1,200 regular employees — has been incurring losses since 2002-03. In March 2009, the company was declared sick.

Incorporated in 1972, SIL initially manufactured scooters under the brand name Vijai Super for the domestic market and Lambretta for overseas markets.

Later, it ventured into the three-wheeler segment with the Vikram brand. In 1997, it stopped two-wheeler production and is now engaged in the manufacture and marketing of only three-wheelers.