Maharashtra to invoke MPDA Act against sand mafia, black marketers

23 June,2015 09:19 PM IST |   |  PTI

The Maharashtra government today decided to evoke Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act (MPDA) against those involved in black marketing of essential commodities and sand mafia


Mumbai: The Maharashtra government today decided to evoke Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act (MPDA) against those involved in black marketing of essential commodities and sand mafia.

The Cabinet has approved a proposal to evoke provisions of Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act (MPDA), 1981 against those involved in black marketing of essential commodities and illegal trafficking of sand, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

"Similarly, repeat offenders involved in illegal trafficking of sand would also be booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA)", he said.

"For that, the state government will make amendments in MPDA. Earlier it was applicable for slumlords, bootleggers, drug offenders, dangerous persons and video pirates," Fadnavis said.

Besides this, the Cabinet has also approved setting up of Government Agriculture College at Muktainagar in Jalgaon district.

"For this project, Rs 6,569.70 lakh will be provided in the next five years," the Chief Minister said. The Cabinet has also given its nod to provide Rs 1,000.02 crore (40 per cent) of the Rs 2,505.05 crore for the Wardha-Yavatmal-Nanded new Railway line.

The 284-km railway line will be laid to connect Wardha-Yavatmal in western Vidarbha with Nanded. About 119 hectares of land in the 30.5 km stretch will be acquired for the project, official sources said.
During the process, a total of 945 hectares of land will be acquired for the purpose.

About Rs 93 crore has already been spent on this project. Of these, Rs 43 crore have been spent by Maharashtra government while the remaining amount has been spent by Indian Railways, they added.

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