In the meeting of the National Assembly, Federalization and National Affairs Committee, which was held to discuss the price increase of construction materials and food items including cement, questions were answered between Industry, Commerce and Supply Minister Damodar Bhandari and Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Center) MP Gopi Bahadur Sarki Achami.

  While responding to questions raised by MPs in the

meeting, Industry Minister Bhandari said that 'load shedding' in the industry also played a role in the increase in cement prices, while Maoist MP Achami countered and asked for a debate with the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.  

MP Achami said, 'Honorable Minister, this debate should not be held here, that debate should be held in the Ministry of Energy, we don't have to do it here.' Minister Bhandari said that whether there is load shedding in the industry or not, we should also look at the facts. "Now you say there is no load shedding, the electricity authority has given a 'schedule', I am asking the committee chairman not to call the authority," he said while suggesting to look at the schedule of load shedding.

MP Achami said 'that matter is our concern  If not, do it with the same ministry. Minister Bhandari mentioned that since the government body is Electricity Authority, it should be discussed. MP Achami said, 'Our only point is that there should be cost control, the attention of the Ministry of Industry should reach there .

CPN (Unified Samajwadi) MP Rajendra Lakshmi Gayre questioned the role of MPs in increasing prices. After the Minister of Industry answered 'No' to that question, MP Gayre proposed, 'No, then let's discuss it where it belongs.'

After the question-and-answer session between the minister and the MP, the chairman of the committee, Sonamgeljen Sherpa, "intervened" and proposed that "let's keep it this way". Saying that there is a lack of time, Chairman Sherpa instructed the minister to have a focused opinion on the topic.

Minister Bhandari said that the committee's instructions were acceptable to the government. 'I will say again, I will accept whatever the committee directs,' he said, 'The Electricity Authority is not even a body outside the government, it is a government body.'

Meanwhile, Uday Bahadur Bohra, another member of parliament of the United Socialist Party, said that the price increase of construction materials including cement had to come with the 'cost of product'. Informing that a committee has now been formed to determine the price of cement, Minister Bhandari said, 'What has been increased, that committee will come up with.'

When the Minister of Industry was explaining about the possible factors of the price increase, MP Achami asked again, 'Didn't it happen that MPs also had to support the price increase? We don't do that, the higher the price in such a short period of time, is it justified?'

Minister Bhandari mentioned that he was speaking with the permission of the Speaker and said, 'Honorable sir, instruct the government on this matter.' Member of Parliament Achami said, ``The consumers are not being cheated.''

In response, Minister Bhandari repeated his statement and said, 'Instruct the government from the committee, the price increase has decreased, efforts are being made to reduce it, the necessary committee has been formed, whatever the conclusion of the committee should be accepted.'

Minister Bhandari made it clear that he did not ask MPs to raise prices. After the questions and answers did not stop, Chairman Sherpa again 'intervened' and drew the attention of the minister to enter the matter .

Minister Bhandari claimed that load shedding was among the reasons for the price increase after the chairman's instructions. How did the loadshedding happen? The flood caused damage to the Upper Tamakoshi project, its production decreased, this is accepted by the authority,' he said.

However, he said that the government is committed to protecting the industry, controlling the price increase, providing relief to the consumers and that there should be clear instructions from the committee in this regard . Reiterating the government's opinion, Minister Bhandari said, 'The responsibility of the state is to protect the industry and also to provide relief to the consumers.'