Ranchi, Sept 18: The Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee has announced a march to Lok Bhavan in Ranchi on September 26 to protest the 2026 amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.
State Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh announced the programme after a meeting of party leaders and functionaries at the Congress headquarters in Ranchi.
The Congress has opposed the amended legislation, arguing that it could affect the state’s authority and financial interests linked to its mineral resources.
Kamlesh said the party would continue to raise the issue and seek protection of Jharkhand’s interests.The amended legislation has been a subject of disagreement between the Centre and mineral-rich states.
The Jharkhand government has separately indicated that it plans to challenge the law before the Supreme Court, citing concerns over the state’s mineral-related revenue and powers.The Congress had earlier planned a march over the issue but postponed it following the death of JMM minister Sudivya Kumar.
The party has now fixed September 26 for the fresh protest programme.The Centre, meanwhile, has maintained that the amendments do not take away the states’ rights over land and minerals or their existing mineral-related revenue.
The government has also said that a substantial share of mining-related taxes and statutory payments continues to accrue to states.
The proposed march is expected to focus on the constitutional and financial implications of the amended mining framework for Jharkhand, a major mineral-producing state.
The September 26 programme will mark another phase of the political opposition in Jharkhand to the amended MMDR law.
