Chhattisgarh cabinet approves new rules to curb illegal sand mining
Among other things, the new rules provide for electronic auction of sand mines.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at Mantralaya (Mahanadi Bhawan) in Nava Raipur, a statement said.
To cabinet gave its nod to repeal the existing Chhattisgarh Minor Mineral (Sand Mining and Trade) Rules, 2019, and Chhattisgarh Minor Mineral (Sand Mining and Trade in Scheduled Areas) Rules, 2023, it said.
They would be replaced by the `Chhattisgarh Minor Mineral (Sand Mining and Trade) Rules, 2025′.
'The new rules are aimed at curbing illegal sand mining and transportation through strict measures and ensuring that sand is made available to the general public at fair prices. The new rules also mandate strict adherence to environmental and safety standards," the release said.
Allotment of sand mines will now be done through electronic auctions which is expected to bring in greater transparency and increase revenue.
In another key decision, the cabinet also gave the nod to amendments to the Chhattisgarh District Mineral Foundation Trust Rules, 2015, in line with the new guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Mines and the revised guidelines under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)-2024, the release said.
Under the revised framework, a minimum of 70% of funds available with the Trust shall be utilised for high-priority sectors such as drinking water supply, environmental conservation, pollution control, health, education, agriculture, welfare of women and children, welfare of the elderly and differently-abled persons, as well as skill development and employment, sanitation, housing, and holistic development of animal husbandry, it said.
In another decision, the cabinet also approved a proposal from the Department of Commercial Tax (Registration) regarding the determination of market value of agricultural land, it said.
As per the approved changes, the existing provision of evaluating rural agricultural plots up to 500 square metres separately will be abolished.
Instead, valuation will be carried out uniformly based on hectare rates for the entire landholding, the release said.
The move aims to prevent irregularities such as those witnessed in the Bharatmala Project and the Arpa-Bhaisajhar region of Bilaspur. For villages adjacent to urban limits and for lands situated in designated investment zones, market rates will now be fixed on a per square metre basis, it said.
The cabinet also decided to allot 7.96 acres of land to the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association (CSCS) in Sector-3, Village Parsada, Nava Raipur (Atal Nagar), for establishing a state-of-the-art cricket academy. PTI TKP KRK
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July 30, 2025, 18:00 IST
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