Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, has assured all stakeholders that the ministry has been studying the issues related to the recent hike in cement prices in order to resolve the dispute.    

Contractors had lodged complaints with the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives, claiming that cement prices had increased by up to 75% in recent months, significantly escalating construction costs.

On Wednesday, the committee held discussions with the Ministry of Industry, the Federation of Contractors' Association of Nepal, and the Nepal Cement Manufacturers' Association to address the issue.

During the meeting, Minister Bhandari acknowledged the concerns about the price hike. He stated that the ministry had engaged in discussions with cement manufacturers, contractors, and consumer rights activists and assured stakeholders that an appropriate decision would be made soon.

Cement manufacturers, however, argued that the price increase was due to factors such as load-shedding, higher coal and limestone prices, and rising transportation costs. They denied claims of a 75% price hike, calling them inaccurate.

Following the discussions, the Public Accounts Committee directed the Industry Ministry to conduct a detailed study of the cement price hike and submit a report within seven days.