|
|
|
| Sunday, 11 September 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Cement an essential item from Sept 1 The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has listed cement as an essential item from September 1. The Ministry of Trade and Consumer Affairs has taken this decision following the increase in cement prices. Demand for cement increased manifold with the tsunami re-construction program. Cement manufacturing companies agreed to supply cement at a lower price for tsunami reconstruction, but open market prices increased several times. The increase in cement prices hit the construction industry and construction sector sources said that the government's intervention to control cement prices was welcome. The Government should not allow the private sector cartel to increase the price of this essential building material as demand increases, they said. Accordingly all companies which sell and distribute cement will have to get CAA approval before increasing their prices. In addition to cement the CAA has listed five consumer items as essential goods recently. They are LP gas, milk powder, wheat flour, mosquito coils and boxes of matches. Chairman M. I. M. Mushin said that they will consider to list and control price increases of consumer items on behalf of consumers. The CAA has also directed electronic appliances sellers that they should provide a minimum six months warranty period on all electronic appliances they sell. This directive too has been implemented from September 1 and the CAA invites consumers to complain of any electronic appliances sellers who don't follow this directive to inform the CAA on 0112-393577. To maintain the quality of consumer items in the market the CAA has also directed manufacturers of 54 consumer items to display the names of the manufacturers and distributors on packets. Of them 49 are food items. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
