January 2: After the government turned a blind eye to the problems faced by the construction sector, the construction entrepreneurs warned to start protest again. The Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal, the umbrella organization of construction entrepreneurs, said that they were unable to submit bills worth more than Rs 40 billion of the already-completed projects because the government did not take the issue of extension of the deadline seriously.

The federation has already staged several protests to pressurize the government to meet the demands of the construction entrepreneurs, including the payment of completed work. The federation issued a press statement on Monday and warned that they will begin a new protest as the government did not implement the agreements reached in the past.

"Government offices have stated that those points cannot be implemented due to the fear of being monitored by agencies such as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the National Vigilance Center and the Auditor General," the statement reads.

General Secretary of the Federation Roshan Dahal said that the contractors could not even submit bills worth more than Rs 40 billion to the concerned offices due to the non-implementation of the past agreements.

FCAN said that they have not been able to pay bank loans, taxes and the construction workers due to the delay in payment of dues by the government. This has also affected the supply chain, FCAN officials claimed. The federation stated that this has had a negative impact on the overall economy.

The statement further mentions that the construction industry is on the verge of closure due to the government’s indifference.

According to the federation, businessmen who went bankrupt have even committed self-immolation.

The federation has warned that the situation will turn more complicated that if the state does not show any seriousness to solve the existing problems.

The statement further says that if the government does not implement the agreement as soon as possible, the federation will be forced to launch the final movement to ensure the rights of the construction industry.

At a time when the government is struggling to spend capital expenditure, the construction entrepreneurs have warned of starting their protest during the peak season of construction.