Andhra Pradesh Minister for Mines Kollu Ravindra said that the government had decided to give sand free of cost to the people shortly. The government was working on modalities for the free sand policy, the minister said.

He said that they would ensure that sand is available even in the rainy season. There would not be any scarcity of sand to anyone in the state, the Minister said. He said that the government would take serious action if anyone tried to black market sand. The sand distribution would be closely monitored by the officials, the Minister said.

The Minister further said that the TDP government had introduced free sand policy during 2014 and 2019. The same free sand policy would be introduced once again, he said. He further added that 40 sectors are depending on the sand. The sand supply would increase the construction activity in the state, he said. He further added that the construction activity would bring GST to the state, besides giving work to the construction workers.

He came down heavily on the previous YSR Congress government for ruining the sand supply system. He alleged that the YSR Congress leaders have misused the sand and sold it to the people at a higher price. The construction activity had come to a standstill, he said. The construction workers starved for five years, he said.

The Minister further alleged that the YSR Congress government brought JP Infra for the sand supply only to loot the sand. The YSR Congress leaders have looted the sand reaches across the state, while people suffered, he said. He further alleged that the present government was looking into the irregularities of the previous YSR Congress government in sand supply.

The present government would order an inquiry into the irregularities and excesses by the YSR Congress leaders during the last five years. The guilty would be punished, the Minister said.