Pvt cement manufacturers' offer an eyewash: Jaya

Chennai, Jan 11 (UNI) Opposition AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today dismissed as an ''eye wash and drama'', the offer made by private cement manufacturers to sell cement at Rs 200 per bag for the economically weaker sections.

Alleging that the DMK Government had entered into a ''secret agreement'' with the cement company owners, she said in a statement here that the decision to sell cement at ''reduced price'' for the middle class and economically weaker sections was an ''eyewash'' as it was not practically possible.

As the decision to make available cement directly to the consumers at their doorsteps on permit basis was not feasible, the Government should take steps to reduce the price without any condition to benefit all sections of the society, she said.

The condition to sell cement at Rs 200 per bag to the middle class people, who build houses ranging from 500 to 1000 sqft, would not benefit them as most of them prefer to purchase flats, instead of building on their own. The permit system would also lead to irregularities and would ulimately benefit only the ruling partymen, Ms Jayalalithaa alleged.

Besides taking steps to reduce the price to benefit all sections of the society, she wanted the Government to give details of the total monthly cement production in the State, the number of cement bags sold and the percentage of cement offered at Rs 200 a bag.

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