Mining Reforms / Dharmendra Pradhan Targets Naveen Patnaik Over MMDR Act, Bauxite Pricing

Bhubaneswar, Oct 2: Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday launched a sharp attack on former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, accusing him of misleading the people of the State over issues related to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) and bauxite pricing policies.

In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Pradhan alleged that recent statements by Patnaik and his party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), regarding the MMDR Act were factually incorrect and aimed at creating confusion among the public.

ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ଏମ୍‌ଏମ୍‌ଡିଆର୍ ଉପରେ ବିଗତ କିଛି ଦିନ ହେଲା @Naveen_Odisha ବାବୁ, ଆପଣ ଓ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଦଳ @bjd_odisha ଭୁଲ୍ କଥା କହି ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ଭ୍ରମିତ କରୁଛନ୍ତି, ଯାହା ହାସ୍ୟାସ୍ପଦ । ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଲୋକମାନେ ଏତେ ବୋକା ନୁହଁନ୍ତି ଯେ, ମିଛକୁ ବାରମ୍ବାର କହିଲେ ସତ ବୋଲି ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରିବେ । ଗତକାଲି ମାନ୍ୟବର ହାଇକୋର୍ଟଙ୍କ ରାୟରୁ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ…

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) October 2, 2026

Referring to a recent Orissa High Court ruling, Pradhan claimed that the judgment had exposed attempts made during the previous BJD government to extend undue benefits to a private company. He said the court had rejected a company's claim seeking the supply of 150 million tonnes of bauxite allegedly allocated by the State government in 2004, while underscoring that past assurances could not override prevailing legal provisions governing natural resources.

The BJP leader further argued that amendments under the Narendra Modi government's MMDR framework and the implementation of Rule 45 of the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCR), 2016 had significantly increased the average sale price of bauxite from around Rs750 per tonne to Rs1,707 per tonne through the application of a conversion factor.

According to Pradhan, the revised pricing mechanism would have generated higher revenues for the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and increased collections through royalty, District Mineral Foundation (DMF) contributions and the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET).

Also Read: Dharmendra Pradhan Defends MMDR Act 2026, Rebuts Naveen’s Claims

The Sambalpur MP also alleged that the then BJD government had written to the Centre on February 1, 2020, and October 7, 2020, requesting a reduction in the conversion factor and advocating lower pricing for bauxite. He claimed that the proposal was rejected by the Union government.

Questioning the intent behind the move, Pradhan asked whether the decision had been taken to favour a particular private company and alleged that dues amounting to nearly Rs5,400 crore remained outstanding because of policy decisions taken during the previous regime.

Demanding an explanation from Patnaik, the BJP leader said the people of Odisha deserved clarity on decisions that could have impacted the State's mineral revenues and public interest.