BJD launches offensive against Centre over Mines and Minerals Act amendments

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik has mounted a scathing attack on the Union Government over the 2026 amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, branding its parliamentary passage a "black day" for Odisha. Escalating his party's political offensive, the former Chief Minister directly called upon Odisha’s BJP Members of Parliament to prioritize regional interests and push for an immediate rollback of the revised law.

Patnaik charged that the central amendments systematically undermine the state's constitutional authority over its vast mineral wealth. He warned that altering the revenue-sharing and leasing frameworks will deal a massive financial blow to Odisha, draining state exchequer revenues that are vital for local social sector spending and infrastructure projects.

By taking this aggressive posture, the BJD has drawn a clear battle line against the central leadership. Patnaik is framing the legislation as a federal overreach that treats resource-abundant states unfairly.