Bhubaneswar, Aug 14: Claiming that the passage of the Mines and Minerals Amendment (Development and Regulation) Bill 2026 poses a great threat to Odisha’s fiscal autonomy, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Friday urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to convene an all-party meeting and summon a special session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly to oppose the bill.

In a letter to Majhi, Patnaik said the legislation, recently passed by Parliament, would disproportionately affect mineral-rich states like Odisha by restricting their powers to levy taxes and cesses on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.

He said the legislation will lead to massive revenue losses in mineral-rich states like Odisha and stifle its developmental agenda.

The BJD president urged the Chief Minister to take immediate steps to protect the state’s fiscal autonomy and constitutional rights over its mineral resources following Parliament’s passage of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Patnaik expressed “grave concern” over the legislation, arguing that its provisions could have far-reaching consequences for mineral-rich states such as Odisha.

Parliament passed the amendment, with the legislation seeking to restrict states’ ability to introduce taxes, cesses and other levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands, while giving the Centre a greater role in regulating such measures.

Patnaik described the legislation as a serious threat to Odisha’s fiscal autonomy and constitutional rights over its natural resources. He identified three major areas of concern: encroachment on state land and fiscal jurisdiction, restrictions on state revenue powers, and the delegation of greater powers to the Centre.

According to Patnaik, the changes could disproportionately affect Odisha because of its substantial mineral resources and the importance of mining revenues to the state’s finances.

He argued that revenue generated from mining is critical for funding healthcare, education, social welfare programmes and infrastructure development across Odisha.

He contended that restricting the state’s ability to levy cesses and taxes on mineral-bearing lands would weaken its financial position and undermine the federal balance between the Centre and the states.

The BJD president also framed the issue as one extending beyond party politics. He said the legislation directly affects Odisha’s financial stability and future development and therefore requires a unified political response.