IOC, HPCL pay Rs 582-crore interim dividend

New Delhi: PSU oil companies, Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, have together paid Rs 582.84 crore as interim dividend for the financial year 2003-04 to the Union Government.

IOC handed over a cheque of Rs 479 crore (at Rs 5 per share) to the Union Government, which holds 82 per cent stake in the company. The amount is much higher than the last year''s figure of Rs 319 crore.

HPCL paid Rs 103.84 crore (Rs 6 per equity share) against Rs 34.61 crore (Rs 3 per share).