BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Thursday registered its strong protest against the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, saying it will severely impact the states’ rights, fiscal autonomy and the interests of communities affected by mining.
Participating in the debate, BJD leader in the Rajya Sabha Manas Ranjan Mangaraj urged the Centre not to pass the Bill in its present form and sought that it be referred to a select committee for detailed scrutiny. The Bill, however, was passed by the Upper House despite the opposition.
Mangaraj said the proposed amendments would restrict the powers of mineral-rich states such as Odisha to levy their own taxes on mineral-bearing land. Such restrictions, he said, would reduce the states’ fiscal resources and affect their ability to fund essential public services. He said the affected communities should be provided a fair share of the benefits generated from natural resources.