• ¨   Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was passed by both Houses of Parliament on 13 August 2026.

    ¨  The Bill amends the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, which provides the legal framework for regulating minerals in India.

    ¨     The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on 12 August 2026.

    ¨     The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2026 by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy.

    ¨     The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 13 August 2026.

    ¨     The Bill will become law after receiving Presidential assent under Article 111 of the Constitution.

    ¨     The Bill brings the regulation of mineral-bearing lands under greater central control.

    ¨     It restricts state governments from imposing independent taxes, cesses or levies on mineral rights unless authorised under central guidelines.

    ¨     It also invalidates past mineral taxes imposed by state governments before the amendment if such amounts had not been recovered or deposited.

    ¨     However, the Bill does not require the refund of mineral taxes that have already been collected.

    ¨     The amendment allows leaseholders to add multiple minerals, including lithium, cobalt, graphite, gold and silver, to existing mining leases without additional payments.

    ¨     The Bill also removes restrictions on the sale of minerals from captive mines.

    ¨     Captive mines are mines that supply minerals primarily for the owner’s own industrial use.

    ¨     The amendment aims to simplify mineral leasing, strengthen central regulation and facilitate the development and utilisation of strategic and critical minerals.