The BJD on Friday criticised the Centre over Parliament’s passage of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, alleging that the legislation would restrict states’ powers to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land and cause significant revenue losses to Odisha.
The Opposition party also questioned the alleged silence of BJP legislators from the state on the issue.
Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, on Thursday. The legislation will become law after receiving the President’s assent.
The BJD alleged that Odisha’s mineral resources had been widely “smuggled” since the BJP came to power in the state and claimed that the amendment would further affect the state’s revenues from mining.
“People are the owners of mines and mineral resources in the state. After the BJP came to power, Odisha’s mineral resources are being extensively smuggled. The mining revenue is not being utilised for the development of the people. The central government is taking away the revenue generated from mineral resources, while the state government is sitting silently,” the party said in a statement.
The BJD said royalties from mineral resources are channelled through the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) for development projects benefiting people in mining-affected areas. It alleged that the state government was instead planning to hand over the revenue to the Centre.
“It is akin to sacrificing the interests of the people of Odisha. A systematic plan has been initiated to deprive the people of the state of their rightful share of all revenues to be collected from the mines,” BJD leader and former minister Priti Ranjan Gharai said.
Gharai also criticised BJP MPs from Odisha for supporting the legislation, calling it unfortunate that 20 MPs elected from the state backed the Bill.
The BJD maintained that the amendment was against Odisha’s financial interests and urged the state government to protect its share of revenue from the state’s mineral resources.
(With inputs from PTI)