Chhattisgarh recants sand mining rights from panchayats, cites misuse

State-owned CMDC will now extract and mine sand, Baghel govt announces new royalty sharing formula

The Chhattisgarh government has barred the panchayats from controlling the extraction and trading of sand---a right that was bestowed to the village government under the three-tier Panchayati Raj Act.

The state government had formulated norms under the Act, which came into effect on April 1, 2006, giving Gram Panchayats, Janpad Panchayats and Muncipal Corporations the right to extract and trade in sand. The royalty rate fixed was Rs 20 per cubic meter of sand. 

Under the provision, the royalty amount was directly received from the miners or contractors by the local panchayat and municipal corporations.

From June 10, 2008 onwards, 25