Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD in Odisha on Monday announced that it would launch an economic blockade if the Centre does not withdraw the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, alleging that the legislation curtails the state’s rights over mineral-bearing land and would cause a substantial revenue loss.
Addressing a press conference, BJD MLA and former minister Arun Kumar Sahoo alleged that the amended law has taken away Odisha’s powers over mines and mineral-bearing land parcels and undermined the federal structure of the country.
Sahoo also criticised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for allegedly not responding to a letter written by Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik last month on the issue. Patnaik had described the amendment as being against Odisha’s interests and sought a special session of the Assembly and an all-party meeting.
“According to a Supreme Court judgment, Odisha should receive more than Rs 1 lakh crore in outstanding taxes from the mining sector. Besides, the state could suffer an annual revenue loss of Rs 12,000 crore if the new law is implemented,” Sahoo claimed.
He alleged that the state government was “silently supporting” the move despite the purported financial implications for Odisha.
“The central government is working in the interests of capitalists, and that is why a huge amount of outstanding revenue has been waived,” Sahoo alleged, claiming that mine owners had benefited while the state’s rights over mineral-bearing land had come under the Centre’s control.
“We will certainly go for the economic blockade if the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026 is not withdrawn and Odisha gets back its rights over the mineral-bearing land parcels,” Sahoo said.
The ruling BJP, however, rejected the BJD’s allegations, accusing the regional party of creating a false narrative to gain political mileage.
Senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik said the proposed economic blockade would hurt Odisha’s economic interests.
Defending the amendments, he said there could be some short-term adjustments but states such as Odisha would derive long-term benefits from the changes.
The amended law, Patnaik claimed, would help stabilise taxation, attract more industrialists and investors to transparent mineral auctions and ultimately strengthen the state’s economy.
