Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has taken a decisive step to improve the distribution of free sand for rural housing construction by directing officials to ensure that sand royalty receipts are delivered directly to beneficiaries’ homes through Group Development Officers.
The move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative, under which 30 lakh rural houses have been sanctioned in Maharashtra. To support this, the state government has introduced a policy providing free sand for these homes. However, complaints have arisen regarding delays and the unavailability of sand for construction purposes.
Addressing concerns over sand theft, Bawankule praised the vigilance of revenue officials and assured them of complete support. He condemned recent attacks on officers, citing an incident in Jalna where a Tehsildar had to resort to firing during an operation. “Such attacks will not be tolerated,” he asserted.
To streamline the process, the minister instructed Tehsildars to work closely with Group Development Officers to ensure that royalty receipts are issued and delivered within eight days to each beneficiary’s home through village development officers. He warned that failure to comply would result in officials being held accountable.
The directive was issued at a review meeting at the Revenue Ministry, attended by Minister of State for Finance and Planning Ashish Jaiswal, MLA Ashish Deshmukh, and Additional Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar.
In line with the government’s push for artificial sand, Maharashtra has approved 50 new crusher sites to reduce reliance on natural sand and combat illegal mining. Under the revised Minor Mineral Policy, individuals extracting minor minerals for personal housing must now pay royalty at map approval, enhancing regulation.
Of the state’s 140 sand depots, 91 remain operational. Bawankule urged strict enforcement against illegal activities and stressed transparency within the department. Ahead of the monsoon session, he warned officials that any revenue-related complaints would lead to disciplinary action.
Source: The Free Press Journal
