New Delhi, August 13
BJP National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh today participated in the discussion on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha, extending full support to the Bill. He said that the Bill is a significant step towards ensuring financial stability, certainty, and transparency in India’s mineral sector, linking mineral resource development with national interest, economic growth, and the broader vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Chugh emphasized that India’s thinking on minerals is ancient. Quoting Kautilya’s Arthashastra—“Ākaraprabhavaḥ kośaḥ, kośād daṇḍaḥ prajāyate” (from mines comes the treasury, and from the treasury comes national strength)—he reminded that even 2,500 years ago, India knew that a nation managing its underground wealth well could build strength above the ground. He also cited the Atharvaveda’s Bhumi Sukta: “Mātā bhūmiḥ putro’ham pṛthivyāḥ” (Earth is the mother, and I am her son), stressing that children do not fight over their mother’s wealth but use it collectively and responsibly.
Chugh underlined that mineral resources are the backbone of India’s economic and strategic strength. While concentrated in certain states, their use spans infrastructure, manufacturing, energy security, defense, digital economy and modern technology. Hence, a financial framework that is stable, transparent, and predictable is essential. If states impose highly uneven and unpredictable taxes or levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands, it directly impacts mining costs, investment, domestic production, and ultimately industries and consumers.
Chugh clarified that the Bill does not take away states’ taxation rights but disciplines them nationally. It is not to benefit industries but to protect ordinary citizens whose electricity, housing, and road costs depend on mineral prices. He pointed to the new Section 9D, which mandates that states can impose taxes or levies on mineral rights only under conditions set by the central government. This ensures a balanced and disciplined framework between mineral development and taxation, fostering long-term stability and investor confidence.
Chugh compared this reform to GST, which brought uniformity and simplicity to indirect taxation. Similarly, this Bill seeks to reduce financial uncertainties in the mineral sector, supporting Ease of Doing Business, Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Viksit Bharat. A predictable cost structure, he said, creates a favorable environment for domestic production and downstream manufacturing.
Chugh also highlighted the role of District Mineral Foundations (DMFs), created through the 2015 MMDR amendments, to benefit mining-affected people and regions. By January 2025, ₹1,04,251 crore had been collected across 645 DMF districts in 23 states, with at least 70% earmarked for education, skill development, and livelihood under PMKKKY. This shows that mineral wealth is being linked not just to revenue but also to local development and welfare.
Chugh noted India’s progress in domestic mineral production: iron ore output rose from 129 million tonnes in 2014–15 to 289 million tonnes in 2024–25, reflecting the impact of transparent allocation and reforms. Minerals are now not just a source of revenue but a foundation for industrial capacity, infrastructure, energy security, and self-reliance.
Attacking the opposition, Chugh recalled that between 2004–2014, resource allocation was marred by loot, nepotism, and favoritism, with the coal block allocation scandal as a prime example. In contrast, the current government has institutionalized competitive auctions, transparency, and rule-based allocation. “Our policy today is based on transparency, competition, and accountability,” he said.
Looking ahead, he stressed that the coming decade will be defined by lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths—critical for EVs, infrastructure, solar energy, semiconductors, and defense production. “A nation that cannot set the price of its own minerals loses control over its energy and security,” he warned. The Bill, he said, delivers both discipline and federalism, state revenue and national development.
Concluding, Chugh declared: “The wealth beneath the earth is not the property of any one government—it is the shared trust of the nation and future generations. Today, this House is deciding whether India’s underground wealth will be wasted in fragmentation or become the foundation of nation-building.” He urged all members to rise above party lines and pass the Bill unanimously, affirming that under PM Modi’s leadership, India is now a nation that decides, reforms, and delivers results.