Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Saturday escalated the political confrontation over the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, accusing the Hemant Soren government of resisting the law not on principle but to preserve illicit interests in the mining sector.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office in Ranchi, Ms. Devi said the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, along with its allies the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, was trying to mislead the public about the implications of the amendment. She argued that the legislation would strengthen transparency, improve the tax regime in mining, and create a more predictable environment for investors and workers.
"The State government fails to conduct auctions on time, and it does not seek legitimate revenue for the State's exchequer. Instead, it desires an increase in personal revenue — which is why this Act is being opposed. The Jharkhand government is opposing this Act to facilitate coal theft," Ms. Devi alleged.
Her remarks sharpened an already bitter political dispute over control of mineral resources in Jharkhand, a state whose economy and politics are deeply tied to coal and other extractive industries. The BJP leader said the amendment would help remove what she described as arbitrary and burdensome state-level practices that have long troubled businesses operating in the sector.
According to Ms. Devi, the primary objective of the Act is to streamline taxation in mining and bring transparency to the system. She said the amendment would curb what she called the state government's arbitrary actions, especially the practice of imposing new taxes and cesses after auctions had already been completed.
"Earlier, the State government imposed new taxes and cesses after auctions, causing significant trouble for business operators. They faced exploitation and harassment under the guise of cesses and outstanding tax dues, a situation from which they will now be relieved. The Centre will implement uniform taxes and levies nationwide with no interference from the State government," she said.
The Union Minister also linked the legislation to broader economic promises, saying it would encourage new investment and generate employment in Jharkhand. In her view, a more stable and uniform regulatory framework would increase opportunities for young people to find work within the state and reduce migration to other parts of the country in search of jobs.
"The changes to this law will boost new investments and create ample employment opportunities in the State," she said, adding that the reform would improve the prospects of youth and help curb the outflow of workers.
Ms. Devi further pointed out that the MMDR Act has already been implemented in several states, including Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Kerala. She noted that many of these are governed by the Congress, arguing that the law is being welcomed elsewhere rather than opposed as it is in Jharkhand.
The comments came in response to Chief Minister Hemant Soren's strong criticism of the amendment. Mr. Soren has described it as a "black Bill" and an injustice to Jharkhand and its people. Defending his position, he has argued that mineral wealth belongs to the state and that decisions on rights and entitlements should not be made in Delhi.
"Minerals belong to Jharkhand, land belongs to Jharkhand — so why should Delhi decide on our rights and entitlements?" Mr. Soren had said earlier, framing the issue as one of federal rights and state autonomy rather than only of taxation or regulation.
The exchange reflects a larger contest between the Centre and the Jharkhand government over who controls the terms of mineral extraction and how the resulting revenue should be distributed. For the BJP, the amendment is being presented as a reform that will clean up the sector, attract capital and reduce discretion. For the JMM-led government, it is being cast as a central encroachment on the state's authority over its natural resources.
With both sides accusing the other of misleading the public, the debate over the MMDR Amendment is likely to remain a flashpoint in Jharkhand's political landscape, especially in a state where coal, mines and associated revenues are not just an economic issue but a defining question of governance and power.