Bhubaneswar, Feb. 20 -- Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena on Thursday urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to immediately impose a 25 percent cess on minerals and mineral-bearing land in the state.
In a letter to Majhi, Jena also demanded the suspension of mineral auctions and called for state control over mines through the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).
Citing the Supreme Court's ruling on cess and taxes on minerals and mineral-bearing land, he stated that had the state government enforced the Apex Court's directive, it could have increased the state budget to Rs.3.90 lakh crore instead of Rs.2.90 lakh crore for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The Senior Congress leader noted that the Supreme Court's jud...