MMDR Amendment Act Issue
- BJP MPs Remained Silent Giving Priority to Party Interests
- BJP MPs Did Not Speak Up About the Bill in Parliament
- BJP is a Party of Businessmen
Bhubaneswar, 23/08/2026: The passage of the MMDR Amendment Act in Parliament will cause extensive losses to Odisha. However, the BJP MPs elected from Odisha did not speak up about the issue in Parliament. At a press conference organised by the Biju Janata Dal at Sankha Bhawan in this regard, former Minister and Senior General Secretary Shri Pritiranjan Gharai and Chandbali MLA Shri Byomkesh Ray strongly criticised the BJP Government.
Shri Gharai said that the BJP Government passed the said Act in Parliament without any discussion. This will cause extensive losses to Odisha. The revenue from all the mines in the State will go under the control of the Central Government. The mining revenue of mineral-rich Odisha has been handed over to the Central Government. But the BJP MPs did not open their mouths in Parliament on this issue. Sacrificing the interests of Odisha and giving priority to party interests, they remained silent in Parliament. They did not even speak or raise questions about the Act in Parliament. By voting against the interests of the State, they have supported an action that will cause extensive losses to Odisha. The people of Odisha will never forget this. BJP is a party of businessmen. In order to give priority to the interests of businessmen, the BJP has planned to loot Odisha. Ignoring the interests of the people of the State, the MMDR Act has been amended for the benefit of mine owners. The BJD has condemned such actions.
Every State has legal and constitutional rights over mines and mineral resources. In July 2024, a nine-judge Bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, while considering the matter, held that States have rights over mines and mineral-bearing lands and, therefore, States can impose levies and taxes on minerals. In the judgment, the Supreme Court also stated that States could recover outstanding taxes from mine owners with effect from 1 April 2005. Accordingly, it was estimated that Odisha could recover approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore as arrears. Besides, it was estimated that the State could collect an additional Rs 12,000 crore annually as mining revenue. However, through the MMDR Amendment Act, the Central Government has taken away Odisha’s rightful dues. It is a matter of great regret that the 20 BJP Lok Sabha MPs and 5 BJP Rajya Sabha MPs elected from Odisha raised their hands in support of an Act that is against Odisha. The BJD has challenged the BJP to come for an open debate if it has the courage, instead of making statements that mislead the people of Odisha.
The revenue generated from mining could have been used for the welfare of Odisha in many ways. However, because of the BJP, Odisha will suffer losses. The right granted by the Supreme Court to the State to collect revenue from its mineral resources has been taken away by the BJP through this Act. Mining revenue has played an important role in the development of the State. Unfortunately, after bringing the MMDR Act, the BJP Government has sacrificed the interests of the State and handed over the power to collect taxes from the mining sector to the Centre. This will obstruct the BJP Government from securing a better future for the coming generations of Odisha. The BJD will strongly protest against this in the coming days.
Similarly, Shri Ray said that Odisha will suffer extensive losses because of the MMDR Amendment Act. There is strong resentment over this issue among all sections of society across the State. The BJP has conspired to loot the mineral resources of mineral-rich Odisha. The Chief Minister of the State, all BJP MPs and the BJP leadership are responsible for this. Shri Mohan Charan Majhi was made Chief Minister from a mineral-rich district like Keonjhar. It now appears that he was made Chief Minister only to facilitate the looting of Odisha’s mineral resources. While Jharkhand has been able to recover its outstanding revenue, Shri Ray questioned why Odisha has been unable to recover more than Rs 1 lakh crore. This money could have been utilised for the development of the State, but instead, the people of Odisha have suffered losses.
The BJP Government has planned to take prosperous Odisha, which had progressed during the BJD Government, towards poverty. Collection of cess and taxes from mines is extremely important in the interest of Odisha, and failure to receive outstanding mining revenue will cause extensive losses to the State. Former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik has demanded that a special discussion be held in Parliament on this issue. However, the BJP is not doing so in order to hide its own faults and shortcomings. For the benefit of wealthy capitalists and businessmen, the BJP has taken away the interests of the people of Odisha. Shri Ray questioned how the Central Government could pass such an Act without consulting the States. He said that this is undermining the legal framework and constitutional system of the country.
The BJP came to power invoking the cause of Odia Asmita, but it has forgotten the interests of Odisha. Only party interests are being given importance. While the Reserve Bank of India has repeatedly praised the economic management of former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik, and NITI Aayog and other institutions have also repeatedly appreciated former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik, the State Government is displaying an intolerant attitude. Shri Ray said that the BJD will launch an agitation in the coming days to safeguard the interests of Odisha.
