Jharkhand Losing Mining Edge Due to Policy Delays, Claims Opposition Leader
Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi on Thursday accused the Jharkhand government of adopting a sluggish approach to mineral block auctions , alleging that administrative delays have weakened mining activity, reduced employment opportunities and slowed the state's economic growth.
Addressing reporters in Ranchi, the senior BJP leader claimed that only three mineral blocks have been auctioned in Jharkhand since 2019-20 , compared with 434 auctions nationwide . He said Odisha secured 45 blocks and Chhattisgarh 41 , while Jharkhand's low tally reflected poor governance and ineffective policy implementation.
Marandi argued that the impact was evident in mineral production. According to him, Odisha's iron ore output rose from 120 million tonnes in 2018-19 to 180 million tonnes in 2024-25 , whereas Jharkhand's production remained nearly unchanged at 23 million tonnes during the same period.
The former chief minister also questioned the state's revenue performance despite its abundant natural resources. He claimed that Jharkhand possesses nearly 40 per cent of India's mineral resources , yet generated only Rs 22,000 crore in mining revenue during 2025-26 , while Odisha earned Rs 46,000 crore despite having just 17 per cent of the country's mineral reserves.
Highlighting conditions in Saranda in West Singhbhum district , Marandi alleged that several mines have remained shut because expired leases were neither renewed nor re-auctioned. He said the prolonged closures have affected livelihoods, increased youth migration and weakened the local economy.
Marandi further alleged a lack of transparency in the utilisation of District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) funds . He claimed around Rs 3,700 crore accumulated in West Singhbhum between 2016 and 2026 , but annual reports, budgets and project details were unavailable, with the official website reportedly not updated since 2018 . The state government had not immediately responded to the allegations.