Chhattisgarh MP criticises sudden cement price hike

09 Sep 2024 CW Team

Senior BJP leader and newly elected MP Brijmohan Agrawal has strongly condemned the recent surge in cement prices in Chhattisgarh, urging immediate intervention from both state and central authorities. Agrawal warned that the abrupt price increase would negatively affect critical infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, schools, and housing under the Prime Minister's Aawas Yojana (PMAY).

In letters addressed to Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and the Competition Commission of India, Agrawal alleged that a cartel of cement companies was behind the price hike. Cement prices have risen by Rs 50 per sack since September 3, impacting local projects despite Chhattisgarh's wealth of mineral resources, including iron, coal, and energy.

Agrawal emphasised that the state's cement industry benefits from low labour costs and abundant resources, yet has chosen to impose a financial burden on the public. The price of cement has jumped from Rs 260 to Rs 310 per bag in a day, with costs for government projects rising from Rs 210 to Rs 260 per bag.

He called for government action to reverse the price increase, warning that it could disrupt public works and inflate costs, potentially harming both state and national interests.

(ET)

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..