Vijayawada : New sand policy from Jan 1 says Kodali Nani

Vijayawada : Civil supplies minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) said the new sand policy that is scheduled to come into force from January 1 will enable consumers to get the sand directly from sand reaches. He also said the government would revise the sand prices very soon.

He participated in the construction workers' office building inauguration programme in Gudivada on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, he said the consumers have to pay Rs 5 per kilometre as transportation charges and Rs 50 per a tonne for loading of sand. Labour minister Gummanur Jayaram inaugurated the building.

Kodali Nani said the sand prices would come down in the state and black marketing would end. The state government obtained court permission for dredging in new sand reaches, he said adding Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra were following the dredging system.

The minister said the construction workers will get lot of work for three years in the state with the distribution of house site pattas to the eligible families on December 25 as construction activity will get a boost after pattas were distributed.

Referring to the sand scarcity last year, Kodali Nani said digging of sand was halted in the state following the National Green Tribunal's order on May 1 last year banning dredging of sand in riverbeds across the country. Moreover, floods later inundated the sand reaches creating hurdles for sand excavation. He said sand reaches started functioning on December 1 last year and digging continued till March when corona lockdown again disrupted the supply.

Labour minister Jayaram said the state government is implementing insurance scheme for 1.40 workers, who have white ration cards. He said insurance of Rs 5 lakh would be paid to the kin of the workers in case of accidental death and Rs 3 lakh for disability caused by accident.

An amount of Rs 2 lakh is paid to the kin of the family of a worker in case of natural death. He said the state government allocated Rs 510 crore for the payment of insurance to the workers and their families. YSRCP leaders, functionaries, construction workers union leaders and others attended the programme.