India, Aug. 14 -- The Parliament on Thursday passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to restrict states' powers to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on Wednesday, while the Rajya Sabha cleared it on Thursday, completing the parliamentary approval process. The bill will become a law after receiving the President's assent. Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said the legislation does not seek to interfere with the autonomy or revenue rights of states, but aims to ensure uniform mineral rates across the country. Reddy said the Centre was seeking to regulate major minerals such as coal, limestone, iron ore, copper and manganese, while states would continue to have powers over 49 minor minerals. Defending the government's approach, Reddy said coal was crucial for power generation, with 73 per cent of India's electricity generation coming from coal. For Indian industry to remain competitive globally, availability of electricity is crucial.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.