G.R. Dt. 10th April, 2026 – Department of Revenue and Forest – Sub – Maharashtra Sand Mining Policy, 2025
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Sand Mining Policy, 2025
Government of Maharashtra
Department of Revenue and Forest
Government Resolution No:- GauKhaNi-10/0125/Pra.Kra.05/Kha-1
Hutatma Raj Guru Chowk,
Madam Cama Marg, Mantralaya, Mumbai -32
Dated:- 10th April, 2026
Vide:-
[1] Chapter Five of the Maharashtra Minor Minerals Extraction (Development and Regulation) Rules, 2013.
[2] Government Resolution in the Department of Revenue and Forest, bearing No:- GauKhaNi-10/0125/Pra.kra.05/Kha-1, Dt. 08.04.2025.
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Preface:-
In view of such matters as the clearance of sand for facilitating the Navigational Routes within the Maharashtra coastal areas, clearance of sand from the river beds, mining of sand for local use and housing units, clearance of sand accumulated in the private areas due to natural or other causes and development of sand which is made available from the overburdens of large mines, etc., the Sand Mining Policy -2025 came to be issued under the Government Resolution Dated 08.04.2025.
02. Pursuant to the Sand Mining Policy, the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan has suggested certain revisions. Of these revisions, most of the revisions apply to the whole of the State, whereas some revisions apply only to Konkan Division. Hence, in view of the revisions suggested by the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division, the Government considered the matter of making some revisions to the Sand Mining Policy -2025, Dated 08.04.2025 applicable to the whole State.
Government Resolution:-
Following revisions are hereby made to the provisions of the Government Resolution in the Department of Revenue and Forest, at Sr. No.2 above, bearing No:- GauKhaNi-10/0125/Pra.Kra.05/Kha-1, Dt. 08.04.2025.
(1) Part – Two (C) The Regional Port Officer is hereby appointed as the Member for Konkan Division on the District Level Sand Mining Committee.
(2) Part – Two (B) The Representation of the Regional Port Officer is hereby appointed as the Member for Konkan Division on the Taluka Level Sand Mining Committee.
(3) Part – Two (B):- Following provisions are hereby added after clause (ix) under the caption – Powers and Functions of the Taluka Level Sand Monitoring Committee, as set out hereunder:-
(x) The said Committee shall take appropriate preventive measures to check unlawful extraction and transportation of sand.
(xi) Taluka Level/Sub-Division Level Flying Squads should be appointed to check unlawful transportation of sand. If necessary, officers/employees of other Departments should be appointed on these Squads.
(xii) The Maharashtra Maritime Board, through the Coastal Zone Management Authority, as well as through its own separate Flying Squads should conduct inspection, from time to time, to ascertain as to whether any unlawful extraction of sand is carried out at the sites in creeks where sand extraction is permitted to facilitate Navigational Routes, as well as in CRZ Areas and action as per Rules should be taken against unauthorised or unregistered boats/suction pumps.
(xiii) In order that effective control over the extraction/transportation of sand from creek beds becomes possible, the District Collector should set up separate Flying/Vigilance Squads at the Tahsil and District Level comprising the Field Staff of the Maharashtra Maritime Board, as well as the officers/staff members of the Coast Guard, Police and Revenue Departments. These Squads shall be responsible for checking unlawful extraction and transportation of sand.
(xiv) The Maharashtra Maritime Board and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority, through their Flying Squads, should conduct inspections, from time to time, at the sites where sand extraction is permitted to facilitate Navigational Routes, as well as in CRZ Areas, to ascertain as to whether any unlawful extraction is carried out in such areas.
(xv) While taking action against unlawful sand activity, all concerned Sub-Divisional Officers and Tahsildars in Konkan Division shall have the liberty to take action in the Talukas/Sub-Divisions/Districts adjacent to their operational areas. The concerned District Collector shall monitor such action.
(xvi) The responsibility of carrying out registration of all types of boats/ships transporting sand from the river/creek beds shall rest upon the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).
(xvii) The responsibility of taking penal action against any registered/unregistered ships /boats which are found to have carried out unlawful extraction/transportation of sand, seizing such boats/ships and handing them over for further action to the concerned Tahsildars shall rest upon the concerned officers of the Maharashtra Maritime Board.
(4) Part –Four –(a)(ii) Mining By Auction stands revised as hereunder:-
If a Sand Group falls jointly in two districts of a Revenue Division, then both District Collectors, in consultation with each other, should conduct a joint inspection and designate the same as a Composite Sand Group and submit a Report in that regard to the Divisional Commissioner. Thereafter either of such two District Collectors who is directed by the Divisional Commissioner to conduct the Auction of such Composite Sand Group should proceed to complete the Auction Proceedings for such Composite Sand Group. The Amount accruing from such Auction should be credited to the Government after carrying out its deemed apportionment between two districts, as per the Units of sand available in such Sand Group. However, in case of Konkan Division, the Divisional Commissioner should obtain the opinion of the Maharashtra Maritime Board before taking any action for a Sand Group in the creek bed.
(5) The provisions of Chapter – Four (aa)(v) stand revised as hereunder:-
The person/body taking part in the Auction would be required to have the following Annual Turnover for any of the preceding 3 years.
| Sr. No. | Stock of Sand | Annual Turnover |
| 1. | Up to 1,000 Brass | 10 Lakh |
| 2. | 1,001 to 2,000 Brass | 20 Lakh |
| 3. | 2,001 to 3,000 Brass | 30 Lakh |
| 4. | 3,001 to 4,000 Brass | 40 Lakh |
| 5. | 4,001 to 5,000 Brass | 50 Lakh |
| 6. | 5,001 to 10,000 Brass | 1 Crore |
| 7. | 10,001 to 15,000 Brass | 1.5 Crore |
| 8. | 15,001 to 20,000 Brass | 2 Crore |
| 9. | 20,001 to 25,000 Brass | 3 Crore |
| 10. | Above 25,000 Brass | 3.5 Crore |
(6) In Part Four (e), after Note 2 under the Chart pertaining to the General Time Table for the Implementation of Sand Policy, following Note No. 3 is hereby added.
Note 3.— If a District Collector wants to modify a Time Table for the effective implementation of Sand Policy in his District, such District Collector should submit a Proposal to that effect to the Divisional Commissioner. The Divisional Commissioner should take a decision on the proposal submitted by the District Collector within 15 days and furnish a Revised Time Table to the District Collector. Thereupon the District Collector should proceed to take steps as per the Time Table fixed by the Divisional Commissioner. The sanction granted by the Divisional Commissioner, as described above, shall apply only to that particular year.
(7) The provisions set out in items (i) and (ii) under Serial No (U) “Procedure for Auction” under Part Four – “Mining By Auction” contained in the Government Resolution in the Department of Revenue, bearing No:- GauKhaNi -10/0125/Pra.Kra.05/Kha-1, Dt. 08.04.2025 and Dated 09.10.2025 are hereby repealed an in their place the following revised provisions are incorporated as hereunder:-
(U) Procedure for Auction:-
(i) For the Sand Groups in river beds which have received environmental sanction, Sub-Division-wise/Taluka-wise/Group-wise E-Auction should be published by considering the geographic conditions. In case of Sand Groups in river beds, the auction tenure shall be 1 year or until depletion of stock of sand or until expiration of environmental sanction, which occurs first, should be treated as the first duration.
However, if a District Collector is satisfied that the auction of Sand Groups in river beds cannot be successful at the Sub-Divisional level, then for such Taluka-wise/Group-wise Sand Groups from the river beds which have received environmental clearance, E-Auction should be conducted.
(ii) In case of Sand Groups from the creed beds, action should be taken by E-Auction made by considering the geographic conditions prevailing in the Sand Groups/Sub-Groups as decided by the Maharashtra Maritime Board. For the Sand Groups from creed beds, the auction tenure shall be 1 year or until depletion of stock of sand or until expiration the environmental clearance, whichever occurs first, shall be the final duration.
However, if a District Collector is satisfied that for each Sand Group from the creed bed, auction would not be successful, then for such Sand Groups from the creed bed, Sub-Group-wise E-Auction should be conducted.
(8) Item (xiv) under Part- Four (U) – Procedure for Auction stands revised as hereunder:-
(xv) If a Re-auction forced by the failure of a successful Auction Holder to pay the permissible amount to the Government fetches a lower price than the price of the former auction, then the amount of difference should be recovered from the predecessor Auction Holder as the arrears of land revenue. However, if a Re-auction fetches a price higher than the former price, the predecessor Auction Holder would not have any claim, thereon.
(9) Item (xvii) under Part – Four (U) Procedure for Auction stands revised as hereunder:-
(xvii) The Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) paid by a participant in the Auction whose offer/auction bid has been accepted, should be adjusted against the Auction Amount. On the other hand, if the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) paid by the participants in the Auction, whose offer/bid amount has not been accepted, the same should be refunded to them once the Auction proceedings are over.
(10) Item (xxix) under Chapter – Four (U) Procedure for Auction contained in the Sand Mining policy stands revised as hereunder:-
(xxix) If an Auction Holder who has been selected for the purpose of sand extraction requires a Trade License for the sale of sand, then such Auction Holder may be issued a Trade License for the sale of sand as per the Rules of the National Green Tribunal.
(11) In Item 2(iii) under Chapter Four(A) – Procedure for the Refund of Auction Amount set out in the Sand Mining Policy, the following provision is hereby added.
(iii) It would be mandatory to incorporate in the Advertisement, the Agreement to be executed with the Auction Holder, as well as in the Sand Sanction Order, a condition to the effect that if a refund is due to the Auction Holder who is unable to carry out extraction for some reason, such refund shall be paid without any interest.
02. The other items concerned with the aforesaid revised provisions of the Government Resolution Dated 08.04.2025, should be construed as having been revised for the time being.
This Government Resolution has been made available on the website of the Government of Maharashtra viz. www.maharashtra.gov.in and its Code Number is 202604101844247619. This Government Resolution has been attested and issued under Digital Signature.
By the order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,
RATHOD UMESH DHARMA – Digital Signature
[Dr. Umesh D. Rathod]
Under Secretary, Government of Maharashtra
Copy:-
[1] The Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Governor, Lok Bhawan, Malbar Hill, Mumbai,
[2] The ACS to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra State, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[3] The Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister [Urban Development, Housing, Public Works (including Public Undertakings)], Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[4] The Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister (State Excise Duty, Sports and Youth Welfare, Minority Development and Waqf), Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[5] Private Secretaries to all Hon’ble Ministers, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[6] The Hon’ble Speaker, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Vidhan Bhawan, Mumbai,
[7] The Hon’ble Chairman, Maharashtra Legislative Council, Vidhan Bhawan, Mumbai,
[8] The Hon’ble Deputy Speaker, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Vidhan Bhawan, Mumbai,
[9] The Hon’ble Vice-Chairman, Maharashtra Legislative Council, Vidhan Bhawan, Mumbai,
[10] The Hon’ble Leaders of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly/Legislative Council, Vidhan Bhawan, Mumbai,
[11] Private Secretaries to all Hon’ble Ministers of State, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[12] All Hon’ble Members of the Legislative Assembly/Legislative Council, Vidhan Bhawan, Mumbai,
[13] The Accountant General -1, Maharashtra State (Accounts & Entitlement), (Audit), Mumbai,
[14] The Accountant General -2, Maharashtra State (Accounts & Entitlement), (Audit), Nagpur,
[15] All Mantralaya Departments,
[16] All Divisional Commissioners,
[17] The Director, the Directorate of Geology and Mining, Nagpur,
[18] The Director, the Directorate of Ground Water Survey and Development Agency, Maharashtra State, Pune,
[19] The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Nagpur,
[20] All District Collectors,
[22] Select File – “Khanij -1” Desk.
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[Text Translated by Adv. Prakash Manohar Chalke
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