TL;DR: Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) continue to play a dual role in India’s economy—supporting government finances and providing employment. While their workforce has steadily declined from 13.49 lakh in 2013–14 to 7.8 lakh in 2024–25, their financial contribution to the Central exchequer has nearly doubled over the same period, reaching ₹4.94 lakh crore. Despite the worrying shrinkage of the workforce, CPSEs remain vital sources of revenue, development funding, and economic stability for the government and the country.

Context:

The growth of any nation depends on the development of its industries and enterprises. CPSEs bring this vision to life, driving economic growth while delivering social value. Despite financial challenges and decades of disinvestment since the 1990s, these enterprises remain central to India’s development story. Using insights from the Public Enterprises survey, this article evaluates the financial performance of CPSEs.

Who compiles this data?

The data on various aspects of the Public Enterprises, such as financial performance, employment, and other such indicators, is compiled by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), and is published under Public Enterprises (PE) Survey reports.

Where can I download clean & structured datasets based on Public Enterprise Survey reports?

Clean, structured, and ready-to-use datasets from the Public Enterprises Survey reports can be downloaded from the collection on Dataful. The datasets cover wide topics such as profit, loss, net worth, contribution to the central exchequer, foreign exchange earnings, among others.

Key Insights

• A decade of attrition: CPSE Workforce reduced by almost half
  People remain the true backbone of Central Public Sector Enterprises, not machinery or infrastructure, but the workforce that drives their public mission. Yet the official data point to a persistent erosion of this human base. In 2013–14, CPSEs employed 13.49 lakh regular workers. By 2019–20, this figure slipped below the 10-lakh mark for the first time, reaching 9.2 lakh. The downward trend has continued steadily, falling to 7.8 lakh in 2024–25, the lowest in over a decade. As CPSEs balance commercial goals with social obligations, this steady contraction raises concerns about their long-term capacity to fulfil their economic and social mandate.

• CPSEs contribute around Rs. 5 Lakh Crore annually to Central Exchequer

  Central Public Sector Enterprises remain a vital pillar of government finances, contributing to the Central exchequer through taxes, duties, dividends, and interest payments. These include excise and customs duties, GST, corporate taxes, dividends, and repayments on government loans. Over the past decade, this contribution has grown significantly from ₹1.62 lakh crore in 2011–12 to ₹4.96 lakh crore in 2020–21.

  Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused a temporary dip, CPSE contributions have largely recovered, standing at ₹4.84 lakh crore in 2023–24 and rising further to ₹4.94 lakh crore in 2024–25. Petroleum refining and marketing enterprises accounted for the largest share at 56%, followed by coal, crude oil, steel, and power generation. The increase in 2024–25 was driven mainly by higher corporate tax payments and dividends.

Why does it matter?

The performance of CPSEs has real implications for jobs and livelihoods. As major employers, CPSEs support millions of households directly and indirectly, while their tax and dividend payments finance public spending on education, health, infrastructure, and social welfare. This dual role, as revenue generators and employment providers, makes their financial health critical to both economic stability and social security.

Key numbers

• CPSE workforce over the years:
  2013-14: 13.49 Lakhs; 2019-20: 9.2 Lakhs; 2024-24: 7.81 Lakhs

• Cumulative contribution to the central exchequer:
  2011-12: 1.62 Lakh Crore; 2019-20: 3.76 Lakh Crore; 2024-25: 4.94 Lakh Crore