Govt taking measures to bring down cement prices

Hyderabad, Apr 20 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Government is taking all measures to bring down the cement prices and the cabinet sub-committee appointed to suggest various measures would submit its report to the government on April 22, said State Finance Minister K Rosaiah.

Addressing a press conference along with State Housing Minister B Satyanarayana, Mr Rosaiah said despite having the largest production of cement and deposits of limestone, cement prices had gone up recently.

The State Cabinet on April 17 had appointed a sub-committee headed by Finance Minsiter Mr Rosaiah, Mr Satayanarayana and Commerical Taxes Minister Konathala Ramakrishna to reivew the situation and recommend to the government regarding measures to bring down cement prices.

The government would take stern action against the companies if they failed to bring down the cement prices, Mr Rosaiah said.

The Sub-Committe would submit its recommendations to the Government on April 22, where the State Chief Minsiter Y S Rajasekhara Reddy would review the report and take a final decision on the measures.

The Minister claimed that cement consumption in the state had increased due to massive housing construction taken up by the government and also due to upcomins irrigation projects.

The Minister opined that there was no reason on the part of cement manufacturers to increase prices of with consumption of cement being at 180 lakh tonnes per year as against the annual cement production of 270 lakh tonnes.

Earlier the Cement companies in the state had agreed to supply 18.5 per cent of their production to meet the government's needs, but failed to supply as agreed.

He said the government's main aim was to bring down prices for the benefit of the common people and also to continue the government programmes.

Mr Satyanarayana said the cement companies had supplied 16.38 lakh tonnes of cement as against the reqruirement of 16.75 lakh tonnes for the first phase of Indiramma Housing Scheme.

However, in the second phase, the companies had supplied only 17.21 lakh tonnes of cement against the requirement of 48 lakhs tonnes and the companies had to supply remaining 30.38 lakh tonnes.

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