Odisha Govt Plans Free Sand for PMAY Beneficiaries

Bhubaneswar : Beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Odisha may soon receive sand free of cost for constructing their houses, Commerce, Transport, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena informed the Assembly on Thursday.

“The Government of Odisha is committed to providing free sand to Awas beneficiaries. A final decision on the matter will be taken very soon,” Jena assured while replying to a query raised by BJD MLA from Daspalla, Ramesh Chandra Behera.

The Minister also pointed out that sand mining is prohibited during the monsoon season, in line with guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Crackdown on Illegal Sand Mining

To prevent illegal extraction, Jena said the government has stepped up enforcement measures. These include imposition of fines by the Mines Department, strict legal action across districts, and formation of multi-level task forces for surprise inspections.

Other steps include:

* Implementation of an online transit pass system through i4ms to replace handwritten challans.
* Compulsory replenishment studies for all sand mines under the Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020.
* Directions to leaseholders to demarcate mine peripheries using DGPS surveys, maintain dispatch registers, and install CCTV cameras and signboards at mining sites.

Sharing enforcement data, the Minister said that in FY 2024–25, authorities carried out 4,361 raids, seized 4,676 vehicles, and collected fines worth Rs 48.17 crore. Till July 31 of the current fiscal year (2025–26), 2,873 raids have already been conducted, with fines worth Rs 18.41 crore collected.

Jena reiterated that these efforts were not only aimed at safeguarding natural resources but also at ensuring that genuine PMAY beneficiaries benefit without being burdened by material shortages.