Maharashtra Govt Revises Sand Policy 2025 To Curb Illegal Mining, Boost Transparency

Mumbai, April 28: In a major move to bring transparency and curb illegal sand mining, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has announced key amendments to the state’s Sand Policy 2025.

Flying squads for enforcement

Under the revised rules, special flying squads will be deployed at taluka and sub-divisional levels to crack down on illegal sand extraction and transportation. These squads will include officials from the Revenue Department as well as other concerned agencies, ensuring stricter enforcement.

Special provisions for Konkan

The government has also introduced special provisions for the Konkan region. The powers of the Maharashtra Maritime Board have been expanded to monitor sand extraction along coastal and creek areas.

The board will now be responsible for registering all boats involved in sand transport and will have the authority to seize unregistered or illegal vessels and hand them over to tehsildars for further action. Additionally, regional port officers will now be part of district and taluka-level sand monitoring committees in Konkan.

Changes in auction process

Changes have also been made to the auction process, with new financial eligibility criteria introduced based on sand stock volumes. Annual turnover requirements now range from Rs 10 lakh for smaller deposits to Rs 3.5 crore for large-scale sand blocks.

The policy further mandates the implementation of an e-auction system for sand groups in riverbeds and creeks, taking geographical conditions into account. The auction period will be valid for one year or until the sand stock is exhausted, whichever is earlier.

Refund clause and district powers

In cases where extraction cannot be carried out, bidders will receive refunds without interest, a clause that will now be compulsory in agreements.

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District collectors have been given flexibility to modify implementation schedules with approval from divisional commissioners. The revised policy is expected to strengthen regulation and significantly reduce malpractices in sand mining across the state.

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