Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik has once again urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to convene a special session of Odisha Assembly and bring a unanimous resolution opposing the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, passed in the Parliament recently.“As the Leader of the House, it is your moral responsibility to call a special session of the Assembly and bring a unanimous resolution seeking the MMDR Amendment Bill,” said the LoP in a letter to the Chief Minister on Sunday.Patnaik, a five-time former Chief Minister, has announced that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will always stand with the state government in matters relating to the rights of Odisha.“Let us come together to pass this resolution in the interest of our motherland, Odisha, and demand that the Central government reverse its decision to take away the state’s constitutional rights,” Patnaik added.In his letter, the LoP highlighted that successive governments in Odisha have fought vigorously in the High Court as well as the Supreme Court to safeguard the state’s power to levy taxes on minerals and mineral-bearing lands.“Because of these sustained efforts, Odisha ultimately secured justice. A nine-Judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the stand taken by Odisha against the claims of the mining companies,” stated Patnaik.According to the LoP, this judgement opened the way for recovery of crores of rupees in past dues and a minimum recurring revenue of nearly Rs 12,000 crore every year. However, the MMDR Amendment Bill, passed by the Parliament, strips Odisha of its constitutional right to levy taxes on its mineral wealth, he said.It is worth mentioning here that Patnaik had earlier written to Majhi and requested him to convene an all-party meeting for building a consensus to safeguard Odisha’s rights with regard to the mines and minerals of the state.The LoP had also urged the Chief Minister to summon a special session of the Odisha Assembly and take the necessary steps for passage of a unanimous resolution opposing the MMDR Bill.According to Patnaik, the MMDR Amendment Bill has the provisions to expand the Union Government’s control over the mineral-bearing lands of Odisha and other states and regulate their mines.
Besides, the Bill prohibits Odisha and other states from levying any tax, cess or similar levy on mineral rights or mineral-bearing lands. Similarly, the legislation grants authority to the Centre to frame rules restricting the power of the states to levy taxes on minerals, said Patnaik in his letter.“This legislative measure poses a serious threat to Odisha’s fiscal autonomy and constitutional rights over its natural resources,” said Patnaik in his letter to Majhi on August 14…
