Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): At a time when the issue of mining has raised dust in the state, the government is getting ready to change the sand mining policy.
The term of sand contract in the state is ending in June this year. Now that the state government is coming up with a new policy, everything will be done accordingly.
The BJP government handed over mining to Panchayats in 2017. During the tenure of Digvijaya Singh as chief minister, the mining work was handed over to the Panchayats.
Nevertheless, when the Congress came to power in 2018, they handed it over to the district cluster by forming groups.
The government is going to change the mining policy again.
Former chief minister Uma Bharti recently raised the issue of illegal mining going on in the Chambal river.
She took the government to task saying it showed the ruling dispensation’s weakness.
As far as change in liquor policy goes, the government is mulling over two alternatives.
One, the government may hand over the mining contracts to Panchayats again. Second, there are plans to hand over the contracts to Tehsils.
The mining department has held meetings with the contractors about the new policy.
The mining contracts given to the Panchayats generally go to the goons, which results in loss of revenue to the government. Apart from that, the Panchayats, too, barely earn any profits.
At the time of allotting contracts, the government earns revenue, but in such cases, too, the incidents of illegal mining come up.
Contracts are going on in 23 districts
Sand mining, according to the contracts, is going on only in 23 districts. Legal mining has stopped in 18 districts, but unlawful work is on.
The government has cancelled contracts in Bhopal, Khargon, Raisen, Dhar, Alirajpur, Shivpuri and in many other districts.
In several districts, because of pressure from mining mafias and the problems created by the administration, many contractors have left the places allotted to them for mining.
New mining policy to be declared soon: Brijendra Pratap Singh
Minister for mining department Brijendra Pratap Singh has said the government is getting ready to declare the new mining policy. The administration is mulling over several alternatives, Singh said, adding that the priority of the government is to stop illegal mining.
Singh said district-wise allotment of contracts, which is followed at present, would be changed under the new mining policy.
