The MMDR Amendment Bill, recently passed in Parliament, has sparked sharp criticism in Odisha, with leaders calling it anti-state, anti-tribal, and unconstitutional.
At a press conference in Rayagada, Koraput MP Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka and Rayagada MLA Kadraka Appala Swamy strongly opposed the legislation, alleging that it strips states of their rightful authority over mineral resources.
Ulaka argued that the Bill was passed without adequate debate and violates the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling, which upheld states’ rights to levy taxes and cess on mineral production. He warned that Odisha could lose nearly Rs 1 lakh crore in pending royalties and face an annual revenue loss of Rs 20,000–22,000 crore, severely weakening the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and turning Odisha from a revenue-rich state into a revenue-deficient one.
He further accused the Centre of attempting to seize control over state-listed subjects such as sand ghats, stone quarries, and mineral lands, questioning how Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, himself a tribal leader, could support such a Bill. Ulaka demanded a special session of the Odisha Assembly to pass a resolution against the amendment.
Rayagada MLA Kadraka Appala Swamy echoed these concerns, alleging that the “double-engine government” was conspiring to hand over tribal land, water, and forests to corporate interests. He contrasted the waiving of massive corporate loans with the harassment of poor farmers over small debts, forcing many into distress and suicide.
The Rayagada District Congress Committee announced that if the Bill is not withdrawn, it will launch statewide protests culminating in an Odisha bandh. The party has vowed to intensify its agitation under the directives of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC).
