Bhubaneswar: BJD leader Sujata Rout on Wednesday questioned the silence of Odisha’s 20 BJP Members of Parliament on amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, which she claimed would restrict the state’s authority to tax its mineral resources.In a video message, Rout alleged that the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026 undermines Odisha’s constitutional rights and could deprive the state of substantial revenue.
She asked why the BJP MPs elected from the state did not raise Odisha’s concerns when the legislation was considered in Parliament.Rout recalled that the Naveen Patnaik government had enacted the Odisha Rural Infrastructure and Socio-Economic Development Act (ORISED Act) in 2004 to generate revenue from the state’s mineral wealth for infrastructure, welfare and long-term development.
The legislation had received support from all parties in the Odisha Assembly, including the BJD, BJP and Congress.Mining companies and leaseholders subsequently challenged the law in court. The former BJD government fought a prolonged legal battle to protect Odisha’s right to collect taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land.
In July 2024, a nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that state legislatures have the power to impose taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land. In a subsequent order, the Court permitted states to recover dues retrospectively from April 1, 2005.
The arrears are to be collected in instalments over 12 years beginning April 2026.Rout said the ruling opened the way for Odisha to recover thousands of crores in pending dues and generate at least ₹12,000 crore in additional annual revenue.She alleged that the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026 seeks to curtail the taxation powers recognised by the Supreme Court.
Given the scale of the potential revenue involved, Odisha’s BJP MPs should have defended the state’s interests in Parliament, she said. Rout also criticised arguments that Odisha already receives sufficient funds through mining royalties and the District Mineral Foundation, noting that similar claims had earlier been advanced by private mining companies during litigation against the state’s taxation law.
She asked whether Odisha BJP leaders stood with the state, its youth and future generations, or with forces seeking to weaken its authority over mineral resources. The BJD leader warned that the party would continue its agitation until the disputed amendments were withdrawn. The party has already submitted a memorandum to the Governor seeking intervention for the rollback of the legislation.
