Naveen Patnaik says mining bill infringes Odisha's financial rights

India's government has made a new law about the minerals found under the ground, called the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Some parts of India, like the state of Odisha, have a lot of these minerals.

Odisha earns about Rs 50,000 crore every year from companies that dig them up.

The state uses this money for things like schools, hospitals, roads and help for poor families.

A leader named Naveen Patnaik, who used to be Odisha's chief minister, says the new law is not fair.

He says the law takes away Odisha's right to collect its own taxes from mining and gives all the power to the central government.

He even says only problems like pollution would stay in Odisha while the money goes elsewhere.

Patnaik wrote a letter to the current chief minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, asking him to call a special meeting.

He wants everyone in the state assembly to come together and say no to the law.

Earlier, India's Supreme Court had said states could collect such taxes, but Patnaik worries this new law changes that.