To set up cement plant exclusively for builders’ needs
The Builders’ Association of India (BAI) has called for creation of a Steel Regulatory Authority and a Cement Regulatory Authority, two new regulatory bodies for steel and cement sectors on the lines of SEBI, IRDA and TRAI, pointing to the alleged cartelisation of cement and steel manufacturers.
In a resolution passed at its general council meeting held here, the BAI said that manufacturers of major construction materials like cement and steel started jacking up prices by indulging in unfair trade practice. Under free economy, consolidation of cement and steel industry gathered momentum resulting in unfair monopolistic trade practices which are detrimental to the construction industry, said Cherian Varkey, president, BAI.
As the government and the judiciary have failed to rein in the cement manufactures from increasing prices arbitrarily, members of BAI plan to set up a cement manufacturing unit initially in Andhra Pradesh and later in other states. These cement manufacturing units will exclusively cater to the demand of BAI members.
Expected to be operational in two years, the proposed cement manufacturing unit at Anantapur would involve an investment of Rs 3,000 crore and have an installed capacity of 8 million tonne per annum.
Through separate resolutions, BAI also demanded the formation of an independent Ministry of Construction at the Centre, opening of more vocational training institutes in consultation with the construction industry in view of major shortages of mason, carpenter, bar bender and various machine operators, rationalisation of labour laws, among others.
