Sidhu in Telangana to learn about mining policy

Gaining the first-hand knowledge about every aspect of mining in Telanagana along with his team of officials, Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday said that the state’s proposed mining policy would ensure availability of sand to the people of Punjab on reasonable prices

Sidhu said that the state has an immense potential with regard to the mining sector and “the implementation of a comprehensive and effective mining policy can act as the game changer for the state’s economy besides ensuring the availability of sand at reasonable prices to the people of state”.

Heading the Cabinet sub-committee on mining, the Local Government Minister Sidhu is on three-day visit to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to have complete knowledge of their successful mining model.

The delegation visited the mining spots witnessing the mining being done at Puskupalli village in Jaiyashankar Bhupalpalli district at the banks of Godavari river which is around 200 km from Hyderabad.

The delegation also saw the transportation of sand, blockade to prevent illegal mining, checking system of unregistered vehicles, authorized spots where the vehicles carrying sand are weighed, place where the sand taken out from the mining near the river is stored and the process of carrying sand to the consumers through commercial vehicles.

The delegation also had a look at the coding system done on the receipt issued through computerized system from the storage place.

“After having a look at Telangana model and given the more number of rivers in Punjab vis-à-vis Telangana, I have become supremely confident that the aspect of mining which is the weakest spot of Punjab can become its strongest support pillar,” he said.

Sidhu said that Telangana has transformed the sand quarries into goldmines by the dint of its effective and comprehensive policy. “This proposed mining policy for Punjab can act as a boon for the state and my hopes have been buoyed by this visit which has cleared all the misconceptions arising in the sub committee meetings,” he added.

He added that Telangana has sand prices under control to a large extent. Telangana earned Rs 10.5 crore in 2014-15 from mining and income has increased to Rs 368.33 crore in 2015-16, Rs 456.45 crore in 2016-17 and Rs 678.35 crore in 2017-18.