Successfully conduct Gram Sabhas on 23rd of this month

Amaravati: Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad has directed the district collectors to appoint a special officer for each gram sabha to successfully conduct the gram sabhas which will be held on the on 23rd of this month in the state. He held a video conference with the district collectors and SPs from the state secretariat on Wednesday regarding implementation of the gram sabhas and free sand policy. On this occasion, CS first spoke about the village councils to create awareness among the people on employment guarantee and also to create awareness among the people on issues such as education, medicine, drinking water, electricity, construction of roads connecting from one village to another village and connecting mandals from one village to another, as well as management of solid and liquid waste. The CS made it clear to the collectors that they should use gram sabhas. He said that all the public representatives should participate in gram sabhas. He directed the district collectors to take the management of village sabhas very seriously and take steps to make them successful.

Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Principal Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar said that the guidelines issued on Gram Sabhas must be followed. Especially regarding the implementation of the Employment Guarantee Scheme, people should be fully aware of the sanctioned works, identification of new works and social inspection through the Gram Sabhas. He said that the provision of 100 percent minimum services, construction of palm ponds, providing support to horticulture and silk industries, construction of cattle sheds should also be discussed and focus should be focused on their creation.

Implementation of new sand policy from September 11:CS

Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad announced that the new sand policy will be implemented in the state from September 11. Clear guidelines regarding the implementation of this policy will be issued immediately and the District Collectors have been ordered to follow them. He made it clear that the collectors should confirm the prices related to the transport and that they would not tolerate any complaints that they were sold at a higher price than the evidence. Moreover, he said that the vehicles booked online for sand should be allocated clear slots at particular time. Only vehicles registered for sand should be allowed to enter the sand reaches, CS clarified that other vehicles should not be allowed. The CS made it clear to the Collectors of 2 districts as well as other collectors that they noticed that the trucks were waiting for hours.

Mukesh Kumar Meena, Principal Secretary, Mines, said that there are some gaps related to the management of sand reaches, transportation and price determination, and it has been clarified that appropriate steps should be taken immediately to regularize them. It has been made clear that the new free sand policy will be implemented on September 11 and appropriate measures should be taken to fully strengthen the sand policy. On Thursday, all the transporters in the districts were called and asked to register the vehicles used for transporting sand and assign a unique number. It was clarified that only the registered vehicles should be used for transporting sand and no other vehicles should be allowed for transporting sand. Moreover, they said that the prices should be decided immediately as per the reach price for sand mining and transportation. He directed the district SPs to set up a police check post at the district. He said that they should spread awareness in the districts about the toll free number. Similarly, district collectors and SPs should hold a joint media conference at 5 pm on Thursday and explain about the free sand policy. The joint collector of the district said that regarding the implementation of the sand policy. Mukesh Kumar Meena made it clear that the District Collector and SP should be held responsible wherever there is illegal transportation of sand and illegal mining in the districts.

Finance Secretary KVV Satyanarayana, Mines Commissioner Praveen Kumar attened the meeting also District Collectors and SPs participated through videoconference.