Govt urged to slash duty on cement
The Cement Manufacturers Association of India has said that the government should reduce the duty structure on cement so as to make it more affordable for the consumer. The duty at present is 70% on the ex-factory price, something that has taken the price of premium quality of cement to Rs200 plus per bag.
According to HM Bangur, vice-president, Cement Manufacturers Association, "It seems as if the government treats cement like a luxury product, without realising that it is a necessity. To make cement affordable for the common man, the government has to reduce the duty." The association also wants that the profit of the sector should be seen in a 6-7 year cycle rather than a 3-5 years one. "It takes a sector some time to register a profit and we should not judge it in just a period of a couple of years," Bangur said. Industry leaders also feel that with international cement companies coming into India, marketing strategies are going to become more transparent in times to come. Published under Cement News
