[REVISION HISTORY]

India Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill dispute

Updated 6 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-29 07:56 UTC → 2026-09-08 14:56 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Indian Parliament has passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which now awaits presidential assent. The legislation aims to modernize mineral governance and secure critical minerals by establishing a uniform fiscal framework. It restricts the ability of states to impose taxes, cesses, or levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands, except under conditions prescribed by the central government. A highly contentious provision is the retrospective invalidation of unpaid or unrecovered state mining dues. While collected funds will not be refunded, the bill extinguishes outstanding arrears, impacting the financial implications of a July 2024 Supreme Court ruling. National estimates suggest unpaid arrears could range between Rs 1.5 lakh crore and Rs 2 lakh crore. Opposition has intensified into a constitutional dispute. Several state governments, including Kerala, are preparing to challenge the legislation in the Supreme Court, arguing it infringes upon the constitutional authority of states to manage mineral resources. In Odisha, political tension is escalating. Naveen Patnaik, leader of the opposition in the Odisha Assembly, described the bill’s passage in the Lok Sabha as a “black day for Odisha,” alleging it was passed with less than 10 minutes of discussion. He ~~and other leaders from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress argue~~ warned that the law ~~undermines fiscal autonomy and~~ could result in ~~massive revenue losses. While the ruling BJP maintains that~~ an annual loss of over Rs 12,000 crore to the ~~move will improve investment attractiveness~~ state, while also diluting control over mineral-bearing lands and ~~support goals like ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, critics warn~~ threatening environmental stability and local livelihoods. The INDIA bloc opposition alliance has since demanded the total withdrawal of ~~long-term economic damage~~ the Act, labeling it “anti-Odisha” and ~~threats~~ “unconstitutional.” Leaders claim the amendment could cost the state approximately Rs 20,000 crore annually. The alliance has announced plans to ~~tribal livelihoods.~~ intensify protests, including an ‘assembly gherao’ on September 29 and potential economic blockades.

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