Who: Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1981
What: Decision made to be amended
When: 23 June 2015
Why: To include criminal activities related to sand mafia and black marketing
Maharashtra’s state cabinet on 23 June 2015 approved the proposal to amend the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act, 1981. The amendment will be done to include criminal activities related to sand mafia and black marketing under its bracket.
This inclusion will help the state to act against those who are involved in black marketing of essential commodities as well as sand mafia.
At present, the Act is applicable only for slumlords, bootleggers, drug offenders, dangerous persons and video pirates.

The state government said that repeat offenders involved in illegal trafficking of sand would also be booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA).

Other approvals of the Cabinet include 
• Approval to setting up of Government Agriculture College at Muktainagar in Jalgaon district
• Nod to provide 1000 crore rupees for the 2505 crore rupees Wardha-Yavatmal-Nanded new Railway line