Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday told the Assembly that it has not yet made any estimate of financial gain or loss to the mineral-rich state following the implementation of the amended Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.
The amendments brought by the Centre have curbed the powers of state governments to impose taxes, cess and other levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.
Replying to questions raised by several MLAs, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said, “No specific estimate of financial gain or loss has been made at this stage regarding the amended provisions of the MMDR Act. The state government will assess the financial impact after the central government formulates the necessary rules and regulations.
“He said appropriate measures will be taken in accordance with existing laws and statutory provisions to safeguard the state’s mineral resources and revenue interests.
BJP MLA Prakash Soren had sought to know whether Odisha would gain or lose due to the amended law and the quantum of profit or loss and steps taken by the government to protect the state’s interests.
BJD MLA Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo also asked whether the government has assessed the impact of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, especially Section 9D, on Odisha’s revenue. Section 9D bars states from imposing independent taxes or cesses on mineral rights or mineral-bearing lands without central approval.
“The state government has not conducted a quantified assessment of the impact of Section 9D on the state’s revenue from taxes or levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land,” Jena said.
Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik has claimed that Odisha stands to lose over Rs 1 lakh crore in tax arrears and about Rs 12,000 crore in annual revenue due to the amended Act.
Responding to it, the minister said, “No final assessment has been made by the state government at this stage regarding the precise amount of arrears, if any, that may become unrecoverable, or the estimated annual revenue impact attributable specifically to Section 9D.
“On opposition’s reference to Odisha’s Advocate General justifying levy on mineral-bearing lands in the Supreme Court, Jena said, “The figures/positions referred to as having been published in Odisha Review or placed before the Supreme Court are not being treated as departmental assessment for the purpose of quantifying the present financial impact of Section 9D.”
Any such comparison will be made only after the legal and operational implications of the amended provision are fully ascertained, he added.
Odisha earned Rs 51,127 crore from the mining sector in 2025-26.Other MLAs who raised questions included BJD’s Ganeswar Behera, Byomakesh Ray, Sarada Prasad Nayak, Pratap Keshari Deb, Congress’ Taraprasad Bahinipati and suspended BJD MLA Arvind Mohapatra.
