BJD demands special assembly session over mineral tax amendment

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has intensified its campaign against the state government's handling of mineral taxation, with party supremo and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik writing to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi demanding a special assembly session to address the issue.

In his correspondence, Patnaik contended that a recent amendment to mineral development and regulation laws has effectively curtailed Odisha's constitutional powers to impose taxes on its mineral wealth. The BJD argues that the amendment undermines the state's fiscal autonomy and its ability to generate revenue from natural resources.

The opposition party has framed the matter as a question of constitutional rights, suggesting that the state government has ceded ground to the Centre without adequate safeguards for Odisha's interests. The demand for a special legislative session indicates the BJD's intent to force a debate on the issue in the assembly.

The amendment has become a flashpoint in state politics, with the BJD seeking to mobilize public opinion against what it characterizes as a dilution of the state's regulatory and fiscal authority over mineral resources. The government's response to the opposition's demands remains to be seen.