Energy Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy has said that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu is making baseless allegations against the YSRCP government, as he is unable to digest the successful implementation of government welfare schemes for all sections of people.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy said that to divert public attention and spread falsehood against the YSRCP government, Mr. Naidu was resorting to wild allegations on the sand policy.
“At present, the firm on contract is paying ₹375 per tonne of sand to the government, which is excluding the ₹100 per tonne for administrative charges. We are regularly giving wide publicity on the sand policy, besides mooting ₹2 lakh fine and two years of imprisonment for irregularities,” Mr. Reddy said.
The Minister said the allegations of Mr. Naidu that GST was applied to the sand procurement held no water, as the matter was linked to the Central government.
During the TDP government, Mr. Naidu and his coterie had “looted public wealth” in the name of the free sand policy and smuggled tonnes of sand to Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
Mr. Reddy said the government was expecting a revenue of ₹9,000 crore on the sand this year.
