Kathmandu, February 16:

The Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal (FCAN) will announce its protest programmes from March 9 if the government fails to address its demands. FCAN has given an 21-day ultimatum to the government.

“We have submitted a memorandum to the President along with our 45-point charter of demands and we are hopeful that our problems will be solved,” said FCAN vice-general secretary Ram Saran Deuja after the FCAN members’ meeting with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav.

He said that the President was quite positive towards their demands. “If this time, the government fails to fulfill the demands we will launch protest programmes from March 9,” Deuja said. “If construction work of Rs 60 lakh is given to the consumers committee, there will not be quality construction and even the President assured us of his support in getting our demands addressed.”

According to FCAN, the President was quite concerned over the demands. FCAN said that Nepali constructors have been supporting a lot in the preservation of foreign currency in the country and that the government should have declared a package for the expansion of skills related to the construction business at the national level but it didn’t happen. Instead, it decided to grant Rs 6 million to the consumer committees for construction works, FCAN complained.