State to promote M-Sand to meet rising demand for sand

The State Cabinet on Wednesday discussed the shortage of sand and felt that Manufactured Sand (M-Sand) was the only alternative to meet the huge demand.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said there was a huge gap between demand and supply of sand. While the demand stood at 26 million tonnes, the supply stood at 14 to 15 million tonnes per annum. Jayachandra said the chief minister will hold a meeting on M-Sand in Bengaluru on Thursday. It will discuss the sops that could be provided for setting up of M-Sand plants and its use in construction. The government will soon bring out a M-Sand policy.

The Thursday’s meeting will also discuss the recommendations made by a legislature committee on illegal sand mining headed by Congress MLA Rafeeq Ahmed. The panel had criticised the Public Works Department for failing to ensure adequate mining and distribution of sand. It had recommended the government to hand over sand blocks to private parties.

The Cabinet also discussed reforms in the Revenue department. Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa informed the Cabinet about a deadline of six months being set for issuing possession certificates to those who have applied for regularisation of houses built on government lands both in rural and urban areas, Jayachandra said.

The guidelines for transfer of teachers through counselling process would be issued a day or two. The present process of reallotment of excess teachers in schools with high student-teacher ratio would continue, he added.

Other decisions
*Approval for establishment a sugar factory by Yaragatti Sugars Private Limited at Ramadurg taluk, Belagavi dist
*Approval for district hospital at Mysuru at a cost of Rs 70.36 crore
*Continuation of services of retd IAS officer B S Rama­pra­sad as advisor, SIT, Karnataka Lokayukta for one more year