Chief Secretary Nirab Kumar Prasad has directed District Collectors to successfully conduct Gram Sabhas on the 23rd of this month and appoint a special officer for each Gram Sabha. He held a video conference with District Collectors and Superintendents of Police (SPs) from the state secretariat regarding the implementation of Gram Sabhas and the new free sand policy.
The CS emphasized that these Gram Sabhas should be used to create awareness among villagers on issues such as education, healthcare, drinking water, electricity, road construction, and solid and liquid waste management. He stressed the importance of public representatives’ participation in these meetings.
District Collectors were instructed to take the management of Gram Sabhas seriously and ensure their success. The CS stated that these meetings should contribute to the overall development of villages. He highlighted the need to discuss the implementation of the employment guarantee scheme, including sanctioned works, identification of new projects, and social audits through the Gram Sabhas. Additionally, he mentioned that provision of essential services, support for horticulture and silk industries, and construction of cattle sheds should be focal points.
Chief Secretary Prasad announced that the new sand policy will be implemented in the state from September 11. He assured that clear guidelines for the policy’s implementation would be issued soon. Strict measures have been put in place to prevent sand smuggling. The CS instructed collectors to confirm sand mining and transportation prices for each sand reach, warning that complaints of overcharging would not be tolerated.
He also emphasized the need for a clear slot system for vehicles booked online for sand transportation, specifying the date and time for collection. The CS clarified that only registered vehicles should be allowed in sand reaches.
Lastly, the CS addressed the issue of trucks waiting for hours on the Seed Access Road in Guntur district and in Nandigama, NTR district, directing the respective collectors and others to resolve the problem.
-Sanyogita
