VISAKHAPATNAM | Jan 04, 2016: Fresh tenders under the new sand mining policy would be invited on January 8 across the state, said Yanamala Ramakrishunudu, Finance Minister and chairman of Cabinet sub-committee on new sand mining policy. He said that the government took all the precautions under the new policy to make sand available to the construction sector as well as general public. The Cabinet sub-committee which met here on Sunday, discussed the new policy and has decided to meet again on January 7 to finalise the guidelines for the tenders. Ramakrishnudu said that a total quantum of 1.5 crore cubic metre of sand would be auctioned under the new policy across the state. The government has fixed sand price at `550 per cubic metre, excluding transport charges. According to the new policy, permission for the sand mining will be cancelled immediately if any irregularities are committed by the leaseholders.

Defending the TDP government’s previous sand policy, the Finance Minister said that the government had made a record revenue of `850 crore in the past 16 months. “As there were several complaints over alleged irregularities when the self help groups handled the sand mining, we have promptly cancelled the permissions and decided to introduce the new sand mining policy,” he added. The new policy would come into force from February 15.

(Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/)