VIJAYAWADA: TDP floor leader and Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu has called for a thorough review of the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund utilisation in Andhra Pradesh.
Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Devarayalu sought detailed report on fund inflows, project implementation, affected populations, and audit mechanisms.
According to the Ministry of Coal and Mines, Andhra Pradesh has received significant DMF collections since 2020-21. Palnadu district ranked fourth in the State with 2,078 sanctioned projects, of which only 964 have been completed. Another 720 are ongoing, 106 are yet to begin, and 288 have been scrapped or cancelled, reflecting gaps in planning and execution.
Though Palnadu received over Rs 44.57 crore in allocations, a large portion remains unspent. As of 2024-25, Rs 123.98 crore was reported as spent, but full expenditure details were not disclosed. The Ministry stated that audits are conducted as per the Andhra Pradesh DMF Rules, 2016, and reports will be made public.
The MP expressed concern over under-utilisation in the backward and mining-affected areas. He urged both the State and Centre to ensure transparency, timely execution, public disclosure of audits, and stronger oversight, so that mineral wealth leads to real benefits for local communities.