Jammu and Kashmir Cement awaits closure

The government of Jammu and Kashmir are close to winding up J&K Cement Ltd. This is the only government-owned cement manufacturing plant in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Officials informed that majority of the employees of J&K Cement Ltd have been put “on deputation” to some departments after the corporation was unable to generate revenue to clear its salary bills.

"The JKCL is almost closed, now only an official order is required to wind it up. There is no staff except a few watchmen who guard its premises. There is no activity in the plant for the last two years, the liabilities have piled up above INR3000m (US$40.38m)," a senior industries and commerce department official said.

"Once, this unit had a monopoly over government work. But the situation later came to such a pass that it could not supply the cement," he added.

JKCL was incorporated as a fully-owned government company in December 1974 with the objective to make the quality cement available to the consumers at reasonable rates, besides filling up the gap between demand and supply.

The cement plant of 600tpd capacity installed at Khrew, which is listed as a heavy sector industry, started commercial production in April 1982. JKCL has been providing employment to more than 650 semi-skilled, skilled, specialised and super-specialised employees directly or indirectly.