Bhubaneswar: BJD on Monday threatened an economic blockade if the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Act, 2026, is not withdrawn, while the BJP accused the opposition party of spreading misinformation about its impact on Odisha’s mining sector.Addressing a news conference, BJD MLA and former minister Arun Sahoo questioned the state govt’s silence on the issue and pointed to the absence of a response to a letter written by leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. In the letter, Naveen had urged the state govt to convene a special Assembly session and an all-party meeting, contending that the amendment undermines Odisha’s interests and weakens the state’s control over its mineral resources.Sahoo alleged that the amendment would deprive Odisha of significant revenue and erode its authority over mines and mineral-bearing land. He claimed that, following the Supreme Court’s directions on mining-related taxes, Odisha was entitled to recover more than Rs 1 lakh crore in arrears and could have earned nearly Rs 12,000 crore annually. According to him, the amended law would adversely affect these prospects while shifting greater control over mineral resources to the Centre.Questioning the state govt’s investment outreach efforts, Sahoo said Odisha’s mineral wealth forms the backbone of its development aspirations and demanded that the BJP govt clearly state its position on the issue. He warned that the BJD would launch an economic blockade across the state if the amendment was not rolled back.The BJP strongly rejected the allegations. Former Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik said the BJD was creating a false narrative for political reasons and maintained that the amendment would benefit mineral-rich states such as Odisha in the long run. Patnaik argued that the legislation seeks to bring greater predictability and uniformity in taxation of mineral-bearing land, creating a stable investment environment for the mining sector. “Lower and predictable taxes would encourage more investment in mining activities, eventually boosting economic growth and revenue generation in states like Odisha,” he said.While acknowledging that some concerns had been raised about the short-term impact of the amendment, Patnaik said, “Odisha stood to gain over time through increased investment and expansion of mining operations.” He accused the BJD of misleading people by portraying the legislation as detrimental to the state’s interests and asserted that the amended framework would ultimately strengthen the mining economy.