Digging for gold
Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which put the extraction and management of minerals in the hands of the Central government. Many in Odisha, one of India’s most mineral-rich States, fear that the new law will impact the State’s fiscal health, while also disrupting the Centre-State relationship. Satyasundar Barik delves into the…
In the latter half of August, former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took it upon himself to request Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to hold an extraordinary session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly. The reason for this demand was not a natural calamity or any extraordinary circumstance, but rather a matter of significant concern among political parties, particularly the Opposition, led by Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The BJD and other opposition parties perceived the issue as a potential financial crisis for Odisha. The catalyst for this concern was the passage of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 in both Houses of Parliament on August 13. Following its passage, the bill was signed into law by President Droupadi Murmu.
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