The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet met here in Amaravati Capital City and approved a new sand policy. As per this, all the river sand reaches in the State would be handed over to one single firm. Initially, the Jagan Reddy regime decided to give these rights to a Central Government institution. But, no such institutions came forward to accept this. So, the Cabinet Sub Committee recommended the wholesale contract to a well-known and reputed private firm.
The Sub Committee has also suggested an open tender to select the firm. These recommendations were accepted and approved by the Cabinet today. This was despite the rising criticism from the Opposition that such a step would lead to centralised corruption in sand mining and transportation.
It is widely alleged that the local YCP leaders in mandals and assembly segments were indulging in illegal mining and transportation to make easy money. While the sand is not available for use by the people in the State, it is being transported to the neighbouring States where it was sold at far higher rates in metro cities.
The TDP is alleging that the new sand policy is brought in by the Chief Minister only to get a centralised control on sand mining since the local YCP leaders were looting most of the sand till now.
