Business
Business “Allowing imports of cement from Pakistan, therefore, carried with it the additional risk in that it provides an effective cover for smuggling of contraband goods and harmful weapons and ammunition concealed in cement bags which comes in rakes and trucks, in the hands of disruptionist elements,” he mentioned.
October 05, 2016 / 15:06 IST
Amidst rising tension, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has urged Top Minister Narendra Modi to ban import of cement from Pakistan within the passion of home industry and national security.
“I request you to ban import of cement into the country not only in the interest of growth and sustenance of domestic cement industry but also in keeping with the imperatives of national security. Ban of import from Pakistan will be in the interest of the country’s security in the present juncture,” Swamy mentioned in a letter to Modi.
He mentioned import of cement with out levy of customs obligation became once presented in 2007 to elongate supply in gaze of excessive seek information from.
He mentioned the situation has since changed and the home industry has added so much of capacity which is never being utilised, with spherical 116 million tonnes cement capacity lying slothful because of the stagnating seek information from within the nation.
He also referred to stories of restoration of capsules like heroin and faux Indian forex notes concealed in cement bags imported from Pakistan.
“Allowing imports of cement from Pakistan, therefore, carried with it the additional risk in that it provides an effective cover for smuggling of contraband goods and harmful weapons and ammunition concealed in cement bags which comes in rakes and trucks, in the hands of disruptionist elements,” he mentioned.
The BJP leader mentioned the industry this day has a capacity utilisation of lower than 70 percent with units in South India posting even lesser capacity utilsation. He extra mentioned that capital funding of extra than Rs 90,000 crore required for creation of this capacity is lying stranded.
“India has become a dumping ground for imported cement, particularly from Pakistan, China and Bangladesh. It is ironical that while on every front Pakistan continues to trouble us, India continues to allow duty-free import of cement from Pakistan at the cost of Indian cement industry,” he mentioned.
Swamy mentioned importing cement with higher margins from Pakistan also goes against the ‘Made in India concept’… This also strikes at the very root of your vision of the concept of ‘Making in India’,” he mentioned.
The BJP leader mentioned there would possibly be reverse worth obligation structure as cloth required for cement receive attracts import obligation whereas the accomplished product is now not.
