With the Union budget round the corner, the cement industry’s attention is focused towards what will be in store for it. Growth in the cement industry has come down to 5% due to withdrawal of stimulus packages. Though cement is the most essential material used in infrastructure projects, tax on the commodity is the highest among the items required for building infrastructure. The levies and taxes on cement are far higher compared to those in countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The average tax rate on cement in the Asia-Pacific region is pegged at just 11.4% with the highest levy of 20 % in Sri Lanka.The cover story in this issue is on the wish-list of the cement manufacturers, as articulated by the Cement Manufacturers’ Association. The wish-list represents suggestions sent by the cement body to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for improving the competitiveness of the Indian cement industry and making it more profitable. Some of the proposals mooted by the CMA in its wish list include a uniform and specific rate of excise duty on cement, levy of import duty on cement imports and classifying cement as "Declared Goods".In this issue, we also carry an interview with J. K. Dasgupta, MD & CEO, JPM Engineers Private Limited, on the latest evolution in concrete technology. He speaks specifically on the 3D model for determining the strength of a concrete structure. From this issue, we introduce two new sections, Trendsetters and Marketing Wizard. These sections will feature profiles and views of the top rung decision-makers in the organization who have been influential in taking their respective organizations to great heights. In the Trendsetters section, we have featured Puneet Arora, Deputy Executive Director-Central Project Office of the Dalmia Bharat Group.In the Marketing Wizard section we have featured C. S. Sadasivan, Chief Executive – Marketing with JK Lakshmi Cement. This section also features B. K. Singh, Executive Director – Group Marketing and Communications for the Dalmia Bharat Group. He has earlier led the cement business of the group as Executive Director – Sales and Marketing.Please send in your feedback/letters to editorial@indiancementreview.com