The new Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026 was passed by Parliament on Thursday. The Statement of Objects and Reasons cites increased tax burdens, unpredictability and non-uniformity of mineral taxation across states, warning that these may hamper production, necessitate imports and slow economic growth.
But behind the pretext of ensuring 'uniformity' lies a bid to neutralise a Supreme Court ruling, protect mining companies, and strip mineral-rich states of constitutional fiscal powers - at the expense of federalism and future generations.
