TN Govt keen on nationalising cement factories

Chennai, Jan 3 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today indicated that the Government is keen on taking over cement factories in the State if the manufacturers failed to bring down cement prices.

In his address after launching more than 1,000 new buses for the State Transport Corporations, he said it was a smooth transition when the DMK Government, after coming to power for the first time, nationalised bus services and he expected a similar cooperation when the Government takes over other sectors in future.

''I am saying this to concretise the announcement made yesterday (that the government would have no option, but to take over cement companies in the state, if the manufacturers failed to bring down the prices),'' he said, dropping enough hints that the government was keen on nationalising the cement factories in the state.

Mr Karunanidhi recalled that when the then DMK government decided to nationalise bus services, big bus companies like TVS, SRVS, Raman and Raman, Sakthi Vilas and ABT had readily come forward and extended cooperation.

The bus company owners had even took part in the function organised to mark the nationalisation and offered their greetings, he added.

The Chief Minister, after chairing a high-level meeting yesterday to discuss the means to bring down cement prices, had warned that the government would not hesitate to nationalise cement factories if the owners did not bring down the prices.

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