KATHMANDU: Brick producers have expressed their reservations against the failure of the government to acknowledge the plight of brick manufacturers in the country through the fiscal budget for 2020-21.

Though the country is self-reliant in brick production and has been employing thousands of people, the government’s failure to support brick factories amid this crisis was unfortunate, as per Federation of Nepal Brick Industries (FNBI).

“Brick production is a seasonal business and operates only for six months a year. However, factories were able to operate for less than three months this year as a result of which a majority of brick producing factories are fighting to sustain themselves,” said Mahendra Chitrakar, president of FNBI.

As per him, the government should have reduced value added tax rate and also income tax for brick factories by at least 50 per cent to ensure their sustainability.

“However, the budget means nothing for brick producers,” he added.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 2, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.