Government sustains loss of Rs 1065 per brass in sand sale

Aim to extract 11.66 lakh brass of sand, but only 52,445 brass extracted

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The government has introduced a new sand policy so that common people can get sand at affordable rates for building houses. To implement this policy, the government spends Rs 1,665 per brass to extract sand from various sand belts in the district and bring it to the depot. The sand is sold at Rs 600 per brass, resulting in loss of Rs 1,065.

The government had set a target to pump 11.66 lakh brass sand from 188 sand belts in Marathwada and bring it to the depot. The sand mafia did not fill the tenders to extract the sand from 160 sand belts and take it to the depot. The administration had got contractors to build 14 sand depots for 28 sand belts in Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded districts. These contractors were expected to lift 2.2 lakh brass sand till June 9. But till date, only 25 percent i.e. 52,445 brass sand was extracted. Now with the onset of monsoon, sand cannot be pumped from the river bed as per government rules.

Revenue target of Rs 509.60 crore

The government has given a target to the divisional commissioner to get a revenue of about Rs 509.60 crore from extraction of sand, murum and other minor minerals. In the last three months, revenue of Rs 68.40 crore has been received from minor minerals. Due to the new sand policy, it is being said that it will not be possible to achieve the target.