Shimla — French cement giant Lafarge has won the bid for setting up a cement plant in Himachal Pradesh, officials said here.
The proposed 2 million-tonne Al Sindi cement plant in Mandi district, some 100 km from here, has been assigned to Lafarge, according to a decision taken by the state cabinet late Monday. Setting up the plant will approximately cost Rs.7.5 billion ($163 million).
Lafarge is considered the world’s largest cement company with 132 manufacturing units across the globe. It has been third time lucky in the state as it lost out to domestic firms in two earlier projects assigned by the government.
The state awarded the Broh Shind cement plant in Chamba district, some 450 km from here, to Jaypeee Associates, which is a major domestic player.
This plant too has an annual capacity 2 million tonnes and will cost Rs.7.5 billion, said official sources.
A dozen companies were in the race for this plant, including Lafarge and German multinational Hiedelberg.
Jaypee is already setting up a cement plant at Bagha in the state’s Solan district.