West Bengal orders crackdown on illegal mining to plug revenue leakages

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday directed the secretaries of various departments to immediately plug the revenue leakage of minor minerals, stone quarrying, and sand mining, which are done illegally and lead to state government's loss. The state government departments have been instructed to join the central schemes, which were not operational in the state, within a week, a top-level source told ET.

This plugging of revenue was discussed in a meeting held today at state secretariat Nabanna on Wednesday, convened by the Chief Minister, in which 41 departments participated.

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The Central government schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishak Bima Yojana, PM SHRI, Vishwakarma Scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Ujjwala Yojana, would be introduced in the state. District Magistrates have been instructed to expedite the forwarding of all applications to the concerned Union Ministries for these schemes, Adhikari had said on Monday after the first cabinet meeting.

Land for BSF

In the meeting with the secretaries, the Chief Minister instructed the Secretary of the Land and Land Revenue Department to provide land to BSF at the earliest. “The handover of land to BSF must be expedited. It was said the land must be given to BSF as per all proposals,” sources told ET.

Unauthorized toll gates, drop gates to be removed

All unauthorized toll gates and drop gates are to be removed immediately; departmental secretaries were instructed today. A notification was also issued by the Chief Secretary in this regard, which read, “All toll gates, drop gates, barricaded structures and operational collection points from which vehicular traffic is operating across all districts of West Bengal, which have not been duly approved/authorized by the competent authority of the Government of West Bengal, shall be closed with immediate effect.”

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The District Magistrates were asked to identify such unauthorized toll/drop gates within their jurisdiction and ensure immediate removal or closure of the unauthorized structures. They were also instructed to take necessary steps to prevent their re-establishment without proper authorization.

“Any collection of fees, charges, or levies at such unauthorized points shall cease forthwith. A list of all authorised toll collection points, along with the authority collecting the toll and duration of the tender, should be ascertained immediately. A list of the authorized collection points, both legal and illegal, shall be compiled and submitted to the Under Secretary by 12 noon on May 15,” the order said.

CM to retain Bhabanipur seat

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said that he has taken oath as Bhabanipur MLA in the West Bengal assembly on Wednesday and will have to leave the Nandigram seat as he cannot keep two seats.

“I have taken an oath from Bhabanipur. I cannot keep both seats. But people of Nandigram will not understand that I am not their MLA,” Adhikari said, hinting at developments in Nandigram.