State sets 10-day deadline to upload sand mine details on central portal

Kolkata: The state government has set a deadline of 10 days for all district authorities to upload details of all existing and potential sand mines on the central portal.

This comes when the Mineral Development and Trading Corporation has been given the authority to undertake and carry out the process of auctions of sand mines, instead of district authorities, as per the new sand mining

policy 2021.

Sources said that the directions have been given to all district magistrates during a virtual meeting headed by Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi.

The portal is developed by the corporation and individual user Ids have already been provided to district authorities to execute the task of uploading sand mine related details in the "dedicated portal".

The information would include the total number of sand mines in a district, its proper location including the latitude and longitude of sand mines, lease status, sand mining potential, etc.

The state government is all set to introduce an e-challan system for payment of royalty against the sand mines taken on lease.

Sources said that the completion of data in the central portal is essential for better execution of the e-challan

system.

It was on July 22, the state cabinet had approved the sand mining policy and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had stated that "We are introducing a sand mining policy. We are strengthening the Mineral Mining Corporation.

The auction will be done through the body under direct supervision of the Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary. No irregularities will be tolerated and no one will be spared whoever it may be. Strict steps would be taken even if any officer or any political worker and leader is found involved in irregularities".

Subsequently, all districts were informed that all ongoing auctions for sand mines at any stage of processing (except where mining has started) may be suspended immediately. No new auction or lease deed registration is to be done.

As per the directions given, all districts have already uploaded their respective detailed survey reports, which depict the overall picture of the mineral availability in the district, in their respective websites.