BHUBANESWAR: BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Friday accused the BJP government in Odisha of protecting the interests of mine owners instead of fighting for people's rights.
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was passed by Parliament in August 2026 to restrict state powers on mineral-bearing land taxation.
If mining was taxed differently in every state before the MMDR Amendment Act, now after the Act, a single, Centre-directed tax framework will apply under New Section 9D.
Launching his party's annual 'Jan Sampark Pada Yatra' on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Naveen Patnaik mounted a scathing attack on the amended mining law as he alleged that the amended law strips Odisha of its Constitutional rights over mineral-bearing land and the authority to levy cess on mine owners.
Odisha will lose around Rs 1 lakh crore if the new mining law is implemented in the state, he alleged.
Under the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Amendment Act, the Centre seeks to take under its control the regulation of mineral-bearing lands containing mineral deposits in accordance with parameters prescribed under the legislation.
Opposition parties in Odisha have alleged that the law "snatches the rights" of mineral-rich states and weakens their financial autonomy.
"The 20 BJP MPs from Odisha remained silent when the Bill was passed in Parliament. On the other hand, they are ready to fight for the benefit of mine owners. Though the Central government stripped the people of Odisha of their rights over mineral resources, the state remains silent," alleged Patnaik, a five-time chief minister of Odisha.
He told the gathering to take his message to all villages across the state.
As part of the month-long foot marches planned across Odisha, leaders would reach each village and every household, highlighting the failures of the double-engine BJP government.
Expressing deep concern over the BJP government's attitude, Patnaik said, "It is best not to even mention the issue of school textbooks; there are hundreds of errors, yet the government refuses to take responsibility."
He claimed that revenue collection in the state was declining, and funds allocated for welfare works were not being utilised.
"No work is getting done, yet the debt burden keeps mounting. Where is the money going?" the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly claimed.
He claimed that Odisha was passing through a difficult phase with a party in power that claims to be a "government of the people, yet there is no one to listen to people's grievances".
"Children lack textbooks, the elderly are denied social security pensions, and both farmers and women are facing immense hardship; furthermore, law and order has completely collapsed."
"This government has failed on every front," he claimed.
Responding to the BJD's month-long foot march, Odisha BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal rejected Patnaik's allegation and said, "BJD MLAs caused disruption in the Assembly and did not allow a discussion on the mining sector.
The BJD people are the biggest beneficiaries from mining companies," Biswal said.
He alleged that 88 per cent of the political donations the BJD received came from mine owners.
(With inputs from PTI)
