KATHMANDU, April 29: The government has been holding talks with the construction entrepreneurs who have been protesting since last Sunday.

Led by the Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal (FCAN), the construction entrepreneurs have been protesting since last Sunday, halting the construction of infrastructure across the country, saying that the prices have gone up.

The government had decided to form a dialogue committee with the federation on Thursday to discuss the issues related to the revision of Public Procurement Regulations, 2007 and technical guidance on price adjustment.

Bishnu Prasad Koirala, joint secretary of the Public Procurement Monitoring Office, wrote a letter to the FCAN, requesting them to send five representatives from the federation to participate in the talks on Friday.

After the office sent a letter to the federation, the federation also postponed its protest programs from Thursday. FNCCI General Secretary Roshan Dahal said that the agitation was postponed as a public notice was issued on Thursday calling the agitated entrepreneurs for talks to discuss the issues including revision of Public Procurement Regulations, 2007 and technical guidance on price adjustment.

A meeting of the federation's standing committee held on Thursday stated that all protest programs announced by the federation have been postponed. Construction entrepreneurs had halted the construction work of infrastructure across the country, citing skyrocketing prices of construction materials.

The federation stopped the construction work saying that the prices of construction materials have gone up recently. The agitation launched by the FCAN has affected the work of more than 5,000 projects across the country.