Odisha Govt Plans Uniform Settlement Policy For Lord Jagannath’s Land Assets

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to bring all immovable properties and land assets belonging to Lord Jagannath, both within and outside the state, under a systematic administrative framework through a uniform settlement policy.

The decision was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan at the Law Department conference hall on Thursday. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Odisha Law Commission, senior Law Department officials and other top administrative officers.

According to the minister, the state government has taken a major policy decision to reclaim, regulate and manage the landed properties associated with Lord Jagannath. At the same time, individuals who have been residing on these lands for a long period may be considered for settlement rights under the proposed policy, subject to eligibility conditions.

The initiative is expected to help generate a substantial corpus fund for the Jagannath Temple administration while also resolving long-pending land disputes in different parts of the state.

Harichandan said discussions were held regarding amendments to the existing uniform settlement policy to facilitate the recovery and effective management of all immovable properties linked to the deity.

Official estimates indicate that Lord Jagannath owns nearly 36,000 acres of land, of which around 25 to 30 per cent is reportedly under long-term occupation by private individuals.

“The proposal discussed in today’s meeting will be placed before Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and the state Cabinet for final approval before implementation,” the minister said.

Once implemented, the proposed policy is expected to streamline land administration, regularise genuine long-term occupations where feasible and strengthen the financial resources of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration.