By IANS,
Raipur : The Congress Tuesday asked Chhattisgarh’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to take urgent steps to stem cement prices in the state that have risen a record 33 percent in the past three months.
“I am surprised that the state government has maintained a complete silence about rise of cement prices in the state that has seen about 33 percent jump in past three months without any rise in raw material cost,” Leader of Opposition in assembly and Congress leader Ravindra Choubey said in his letter to Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Noting that Chhattisgarh is the leading cement producing state in the country, Choubey alleged that cement companies have formed a ‘syndicate’ and effected nearly 33 percent hike in phases in the state in past 90 days that has slowed down the housing sector.
“There is not much demand of cement and even no hike was made in raw material in recent months, then how the cement companies raised per bag cost to Rs.280-290 which is nearly 33 percent jump in per bag cost in early September,” Choubey said.
He asked state government to immediately act against cement companies under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.