Govt rules out any ban on cement export

Govt rules out any ban on cement export
13 December 2006


The Government of India today ruled out any proposal to impose a ban on cement exports despite rising input costs putting pressure on cement prices.  
 
There is no proposal under consideration at present to ban the export of cement, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Ashwani Kumar said in the Lok Sabha.  
 
He attributed the rising production costs to cost inputs like coal, other fuels and transportation.  
 
Though cement is a decontrolled commodity and its price is governed by economic factors, he said the government had impressed upon cement manufacturers, the need to rationalise cement prices.  
 
Kumar said the Cement Manufacturers’ Association had given an undertaking to maximise production and dispatch of cement.  
 
CMA, the apex body of cement producers, had assured that it would ensure that retails do not indulge in profiteering, bring in fresh investment to create additional capacities and supply cement on priority and at five per cent discount on the ruling prices to the Central Government departments.  
 
On the current status of Cement Corporation of India, Kumar said seven units of the state-owned company are not in operation presently. 
 
These seven CCI units are Mandhar (Chhattisgarh), Kurkunta (Karnataka), Nayagaon (MP), Akaltara (Chhattisgarh), Adilabad (AP) and Charkhi Dadri (Haryana).  
 
Under the Rehabilitation Scheme sanctioned in 2006 for the CCI, the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction had recommended closure and sale of all these seven non-operating units.  
Published under Cement News