Indiramma Illu | Beneficiaries Struggle as Extra Burden of ₹2 Lakh Falls on Each Household
Although the Telangana government offers free sand supply under the Indiramma Housing Scheme, beneficiaries are still facing significant financial burdens.
Hyderabad: Although the Telangana government offers free sand supply under the Indiramma Housing Scheme, beneficiaries are still facing significant financial burdens. Due to rising transportation and material costs, each beneficiary may end up spending an additional ₹2 lakh or more to complete their home construction.
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Free Sand Not Sufficient for Full Construction Needs
The government has recently issued guidelines to supply around 30 tonnes of free sand per house. Beneficiaries receive a token from their local Tahsildar to collect the sand from the designated reaches. However, construction experts point out that an average house requires 40 to 50 tonnes of sand. As a result, beneficiaries must purchase an extra 20 tonnes of sand at market prices, adding to their expenses.
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High Transportation Costs Eat into Government Support
Though sand is supplied free at the reaches, transportation costs remain high. While Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation (TSMDC) sells sand at ₹400 per tonne at the reach, the price escalates to ₹2,000–₹2,200 per tonne after including transportation in Hyderabad. In other districts, sand prices range from ₹1,500 to ₹1,800 per tonne.
For 30 tonnes, the government’s benefit amounts to only ₹12,000, but beneficiaries still need to spend up to ₹42,000 on transportation. Additionally, buying the remaining 20 tonnes at market rates can cost up to ₹36,000. In total, beneficiaries are spending nearly ₹78,000 on sand alone, despite the “free supply.”
Construction Costs Far Exceed Government Grants
Under the Indiramma scheme, the government provides ₹5 lakh in four phases. However, with the current spike in prices of construction materials such as:
- Steel: ₹58,000 per tonne
- Cement: ₹300 per bag
- Bricks, gravel, flooring tiles, doors, windows, electrical fittings, plumbing materials
Builders estimate that constructing a 600 square foot house may cost anywhere between ₹6 lakh to ₹7 lakh, depending on quality. Even if construction costs are calculated at ₹1,200 per square foot, the total reaches ₹7,20,000, forcing beneficiaries to contribute ₹2.2 lakh from their own pockets.
Beneficiaries Request Additional Government Support
Facing severe financial strain, many beneficiaries are now urging the government to also provide free steel and cement to help reduce costs and prevent them from falling into debt.
