VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday asked officials not to encourage any kind of political interference in supply and transportation of sand and also to act tough against sand mafia.
Taking stock of the situation during a review meeting on the Spandana programme with district collectors and police, Jagan Mohan Reddy directed officials to immediately address the issues relating to sand supply and evolve a mechanism that works in the better interest of the people.
“Do not encourage political recommendations and give no room for corruption in sand supply. I will give a free hand to officials to root out sand mafia,’’ asserted Jagan. He also instructed officials to set up check-posts at borders to ensure that sand is not exported to other States.
“All the sand reaches in the State should be open and an official of joint collector’s rank should be appointed as in-charge to oversee supply and transportation of sand in districts. As floods are receding, sand is available. There should be a price reduction,’’ he said and added that there should be a change in the system in the next three months.
Stressing the need for tackling the sand shortage, Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government will pay `4.90 per kilometre to those who come forward to transport sand.
Jagan also directed officials to ensure that corporations will provide loans to BC, SC and ST unemployed youth to buy vehicles to transport sand. Meanwhile, district collectors told the CM that rains were hampering transportation of sand.
Village Secretariat launch today
CM Jagan Mohan Reddy will launch Village/Ward Secretariat system by unveiling a pylon at Karapa in East Godavari on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary on Wednesday