Through the NTPC Ltd issue on Thursday, the government mobilized around Rs 11,400 crore (nearly $2.1bn) by selling 78.326 crore shares at an average price of Rs 145.91 apiece.

The floor price for the issue, which took place through the offer for sale (OFS) route, was set at Rs 145 a share. The issue was subscribed 1.7 times, generating a demand worth around Rs 19,400 crore.

Following the share sale, the government's stake in the public sector power giant slipped from 84.5 per cent to 75 per cent.

Data released by the Bombay Stock exchange (BSE) also showed that the issue was handled by the India arms of Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, along with domestic broking firms SBICAP Securities and Kotak Securities.

The government's has a target to collect around Rs 30,000 crore by divesting its stakes in public sector units in the current financial year to slash deficit; and the stake sale in NTPC is the third divestment in the ongoing drive.

Previously, the government mobilized about Rs 5,900 crore and Rs 3,100 crore by divesting its stakes in miner NMDC and crude producer Oil India Ltd, respectively. In total, the government has so far mobilized around Rs 20,000 crore though divestments of its stake in PSUs.

Meeting the ambitious divestment target would help the government remain closer to its fiscal deficit target of 5.3 per cent of gross domestic product.

The NTPC stock in the regular closed at Rs 148.15 a share, down 2.7 per cent from the previous day's close.