Mining Reforms / Opposition Misleading Odisha Public on MMDR Amendment Act 2026: Amar Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Sept 11: Senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha, Amar Patnaik on Friday accused the BJD and Congress of spreading misinformation about the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s state office here, Patnaik said the new law would bring transparency, reforms, and long term benefits to Odisha’s mining sector, contrary to claims of financial loss and erosion of state powers.

Opposition Allegations “Misleading”

Patnaik dismissed opposition statements that the MMDR Amendment Act undermines federalism and reduces Odisha’s fiscal capacity. He termed such claims “misleading and laughable,” arguing that the law ensures fair allocation, transparency, and uniform taxation across states. He said opposition leaders had either failed to read the law or misunderstood the Supreme Court’s rulings on the matter.

Past Mismanagement in Mining

Highlighting the previous BJD government’s record, Patnaik alleged large scale irregularities and corruption in mining during its 24 year rule. He cited the Shah Commission’s 2014 report, which estimated mining irregularities worth Rs60,000 crore, and questioned why the then government opposed a CBI probe. He also asked why only Rs15,000 crore of penalties was collected between 2015 and 2024, despite higher assessed dues.

Transparency Through E Auction

Patnaik credited the BJP led Centre for introducing e auction of mines in 2015, which replaced discretionary allotments to select families and mining mafias. He said Odisha’s mining revenue has grown by 861 percent since then, rising from Rs3,300 crore in 2015 to Rs53,000 crore today. “Over 90 percent of mining revenue goes to the state government through royalty and DMF funds,” he noted.
Also Read: Dharmendra Pradhan Defends MMDR Act 2026, Rebuts Naveen’s Claims

Benefits of the MMDR Amendment Act

The MMDR Amendment Act 2026, Patnaik said, will ensure uniform taxation, attract new investors, and protect consumer interests by stabilizing prices of mineral based products like steel and cement. He stressed that Odisha’s powers remain intact and the reforms will accelerate industrialization, job creation, and ease of doing business. “This law is akin to GST in creating ‘One Nation, One Mineral Market’,” he said, adding that it will help realize the vision of a ‘Samruddha Odisha’ (Prosperous Odisha) by 2036 and a ‘Vikshit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047.

BJP MLAs Ashok Mahanty and Agasti Behera, along with party Media Cell convenor Sujit Kumar Das, attended the press conference.