As many as 62 brick kiln owners in latehar district have been persuaded by DDC latehar Anil K Singh to reduce the price of brick for its use in construction of houses under PM Awas Yojna Gramin (PMAY-G).
Sources said DDC held two rounds of parleys with the brick kiln owners as the rise in price of brick per 1000 had begun to affect the pace of construction of houses under PMAY G.
Sources said the target of 2016 -17 is far ahead as against 8,543 houses to be readied only 4,523 have been completed so far.
This rise in brick price further put a brake on the construction and completion of houses under this Yojna.
Singh said, “I had two rounds of talk with 62 brick kiln owners of the district. I have requested them to fix a common price 4,500 rupees per 1000 brick for only the PMAYG houses construction as a rise in price of brick upset the shoe string budget of the PMAYG beneficiary who is to get 1.30 lakh along with 15,940 as wages under MGNREGA for one unit of house under this Yojna.”
Singh calculated that by this reduction in price a PMAYG beneficiary can alone save 5,000 rupees on brick which he can put to use for installing door in his house.
The DDC agreed that price of brick in latehar was most variable as if it was 5,500 in Mahuadarn , it was 6,000 in latehar, 5,500 in Manika and 4,200 to 4,500 in Balumath and in this context the brick kiln owners have been advised to have one price all over the district which is 4,500 rupees per 1000 brick only for houses coming up under PMAYG.
DDC expressing hope said our brick kiln owners will co operate with the administration as this cap of 4,500 rupees per 1000 brick is only for houses of PMAYG. He added, “There was no other mechanism or tool to bring these brick kiln operators to toe our line of price except persuasion and further this fixing of price is for houses under PMAYG only.”
When asked as to how the same brick was so cheap in Balumath until recently 4,500 rupees per 1000 brick DDC without mincing word said coal crisis is not in Balumath and one gets coal in plenty through foul means too there.
DDC further said production of brick is done 8 rounds in a brick kiln and in one dry year from October to July or till the rains come 14.65 crore brick is produced in latehar which again is almost 2 crore short of the requirement but this is overcome with brick coming here from adjoining district.
Sources said it takes 3 weeks for production of brick and big kiln can produce 5 to 6 lakh of brick in just one round of manufacturing. Singh claimed that brick kiln owners have given their consent to have a price of 4,500 rupees per 1000 brick for houses under PMAY G .