BJD attacks Centre over MMDR Bill, warns of Odisha revenue loss
The BJD on Friday criticised the Centre for the passage of the MMDR Amendment Bill, which seeks to restrict states' powers to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land parcels, asserting that "Odisha will suffer immense revenue losses" due to the legislation.
The opposition party also questioned the alleged silence of 20 BJP MPs from the state on the issue.
Parliament on Thursday passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. The legislation will become law after it receives the President's assent.
The BJD alleged that there has been widespread "smuggling of the state’s mineral resources since the BJP came to power in Odisha" and that the state will "suffer immense revenue losses" due to the amendment to the Act.
“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 Naveen Patnaik party alleged in a statement.
The royalty from mineral resources is spent through the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) for development of the people of Odisha, but "instead of doing so, the state government is planning to hand it over to the central government", the BJD claimed.
“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 state minister Priti Ranjan Gharai said.
He also claimed that it was unfortunate that 20 BJP MPs elected from Odisha supported the bill.
"The people of Odisha seek an answer to a question - how the state BJP government and the MPs accepted the bill, which strikes at the federal structure. It is unacceptable that Odisha’s mining revenue will not be invested in the development of the state and will instead be used for the development of other states,” the BJD leader said.
BJD general secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra alleged that the central government has made an "attempt to loot Odisha by amending the MMDR Act".
"The Centre has passed the bill in Parliament for partisan interests. Despite the Supreme Court's ruling that the state government has the complete right to collect revenue from the mining sector for the development of mineral-rich Odisha, the central government is disregarding the apex court's order and taking away our rights," he claimed.
The BJD said the state government would "no longer be able to recover outstanding dues from any mine owner" after the passage of the MMDR Amendment Bill.
“The people of Odisha will never forgive the BJP government for the immense losses the state will suffer and its association with big corporate houses,” the party said, adding that the BJD had strongly opposed the MMDR Act Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
In the coming days, the BJD will hit the streets to safeguard the interests of the people of Odisha, the party leaders said.
