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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday criticised the Jharkhand government over the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, saying the legislation is aimed at protecting the people of the state, providing employment and preventing migration.
Speaking with ANI, Dubey said the legislation was based on an Act dating back to 1956-57 and referred to the distinction between major and minor minerals under the existing framework. "We didn't make this law, did we? This Act is from 1956-1957; it was made by PM Nehru. It states that major minerals will be separate and minor minerals will be separate. The authority over major minerals will belong to the Government of India," he said. Dubey said the issue of cess had come to the fore following a Supreme Court order, while states continue to receive royalties under the existing framework. He said mining activity is not limited to Jharkhand and further pointed to Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, where lignite is found. "All these states need to develop their respective regions," he said. Referring specifically to coal, Dubey said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed to achieving zero carbon by 2070, which, he said, meant that coal would not be used. "This is a promise India has made to the world," he said, adding that coal should therefore be extracted now. Dubey also criticised the Jharkhand government's position on cess, alleging that the levy was being increased from around Rs 200-300 per tonne to Rs 1,200-1,500. "They (Jharkhand government) want to engage in corruption; they collect 1200-1500 from this. If cheaper coal from Odisha or Chhattisgarh becomes available, people will go there," he said. He said there are conditions for imposing cess and that it could not be levied beyond a certain limit. "The Government of India recognised that there are limits to imposing a cess; you cannot levy it beyond a certain point," Dubey said. He further added that the legislation is intended to protect Jharkhand's people, provide employment and ensure that people did not have to migrate. "This Act exists to protect the people of Jharkhand, to provide them with employment, and to ensure they do not fall victim to displacement and forced migration," he said. Dubey also said that if the Jharkhand government chose to launch an agitation against the legislation, it would not change the outcome. "Now, let them fight it out; what difference will it make? Both royalty and cess will stop," he said. He further criticised Chief Minister Hemant Soren, asking what he will offer the people of Jharkhand apart from making them destitute. "After that, neither royalty nor cess will come. After that, what gift will Hemant Soren give to Jharkhand's residents besides making them destitute? That's the gift they want to give," Dubey said. (ANI)
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