Industry Minister vows to reduce losses of Udayapur and Hetauda cement industries

Kathmandu- Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, has expressed the commitment to take a prompt decision to minimise the losses of the Udayapur and Hetauda cement industries.

He made this commitment while speaking in the meeting of the Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives today. On the occasion, Minister Bhandari pledged to reach to a decision after carrying out a study on the losses of the two cement industries, adding that there is no lacking in the quality and marketing of their products. He said the government is serious over the financial health of these two industries.

According to him, the government will further promote the industries it has been operating so as to generate employment opportunities within the country itself for the workforce that is on foreign employment. The Minister insisted that the government is carrying out works so as to fulfill the aspiration of a prosperous Nepal. Committee member Lal Prasad Sanwa Limbu suggested to the government to move ahead with a new plan and thinking if it was to run the cement industries in a profitable manner.

Lawmakers Rama Koirala Poudyal, Ranendra Barali and Suryaman Tamang Dong called for making a thorough assessment of the status of the two cement industries. They suggested for a serious dialogue between the Ministry of Finance and the two industries for running them as the best industries.

A committee formed to make an analysis of the present condition of the two industries and to suggest on the way forward had recommended to carry out a study on the merger of the two industries, saying this topic was also included in the last year’s budget document.