Overview
- Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act in August 2026 and BJD leaders say the change limits states’ power to tax mineral rights and mineral-bearing land.
- BJD president Naveen Patnaik led a large rally in Bhubaneswar on Monday that demanded repeal of the Act and pledged continued street agitations after repeated disruptions forced the Odisha Assembly to be adjourned multiple times.
- The party plans to expand protests to districts and has threatened an economic blockade that would halt mineral transport from mines if the law is enforced, a step that could interrupt mining supply chains and state receipts.
- The Union Ministry of Mines has publicly defended the amendment, arguing that states will continue to receive most mining revenue, while Odisha’s Steel and Mines Minister said the state has not yet completed an assessment of net fiscal impact.
- The dispute traces to a July 25, 2024 Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to claim retrospective dues from 2005, a judgment BJD cites to argue the amendment forecloses large arrears for Odisha and risks major revenue losses for public services.