The two-day Collectors’ Conference recently concluded in Amaravati. During the event, RTGS Department Secretary Katamaneni Bhaskar presented findings on public opinion regarding government departments and welfare programme implementation.
He shared insights from the government’s ‘Positive Public Perception’ survey, comparing results from the first year and the most recent quarter.
The survey highlighted strong public satisfaction with schemes like Pensions, Anna Canteens, and NTR Vaidya Seva. However, concerns emerged over the Free Sand Scheme.
According to the survey, 65.6% of respondents felt that sand was available in sufficient quantity, while 34.4% disagreed. Similarly, 55.5% said it was available at low prices at supply centres, but 44.5% felt otherwise.
Though these numbers appear balanced, they fall well below satisfaction levels for other government schemes. Ground-level realities might be worse than the survey suggests, making it a serious issue for the state to address.
Sand availability was a major factor behind the downfall of the previous government. Rising sand costs could affect construction workers’ livelihoods and hit the real estate sector, ultimately slowing down the broader economy.
After assuming office, CM Chandrababu Naidu made sand free for domestic use, with charges only on transportation. This policy ended the sand mafia’s grip, but also cost the state ₹4,000-₹5,000 crore in annual auction revenue.
Despite this bold step, if public satisfaction remains low, the issue deserves urgent attention. The Chief Minister may need to act swiftly and decisively to improve sand access and distribution.
