Roshan Kumar and Surendra Soren
Ranchi
Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday warned of massive agitation over passage of Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill in Parliament and said Jharkhand will not tolerate step-motherly treatment and there will be fierce opposition to this in every district, every block, every panchayat, every town if the Centre fails to withdraw it. The sharp reaction from the Jharkhand CM came as the Parliament on Thursday passed the Bill, which seeks to restrict states’ powers to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands.
In a post on X, Soren said, “Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, is a black bill – injustice to Jharkhand, its people. Minerals belong to Jharkhand, land belongs to Jharkhand; so why should Delhi decide on our rights and entitlements?”
It should be noted that Jharkhand accounts for about 40 per cent of the country’s total minerals. “The Centre passed it in haste, tying Jharkhand’s hands and feet. Jharkhand will launch such a massive agitation to oppose it that the entire nation would see,” Soren said.
Echoing the views of Chief Minister, State Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari strongly opposed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, describing it as a direct attack on the state’s mineral and revenue rights.
Ansari alleged that the BJP-led Central government was attempting to undermine the constitutional and financial rights of Jharkhand and deprive the state of its legitimate share of mineral resources.
He said Jharkhand’s mineral wealth was the backbone of its economy and any move to restrict the state’s revenue rights could adversely affect development and welfare programmes benefiting the poor and vulnerable sections.
Also, Jharkhand Congress Legislature Party leader Pradeep Yadav Centre new mines rule is an attempt to undermine the constitutional and financial rights of states.
Yadav said the proposed amendment was a direct assault on the federal structure and the economic autonomy of mineral-rich states such as Jharkhand. He urged the Union government to immediately withdraw the legislation.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s nine-judge Constitution Bench judgment, Yadav said states had been empowered to levy additional cess on mineral resources following the verdict. He alleged that the Centre was now seeking to take away this power through the amendment.
“This is against the spirit of cooperative federalism and will seriously affect the financial autonomy of the states,” Yadav said.
He said the proposed changes could have a significant adverse impact on Jharkhand, where mineral resources play a crucial role in the state’s economy. He alleged that the Centre was attempting to financially weaken states that did not subscribe to its political position and make them increasingly dependent on the Union government for development and welfare programmes.
Earlier, the Union Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. It restricts state governments from imposing independent taxes or cesses on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands, aiming to create a uniform national tax framework and override state-level levies following previous judicial rulings.
