The Odisha government has reduced the number of land classifications—known as Kisams—from a staggering 7797 to just 22.
The decision, led by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department under the Mohan Majhi government, is intended to eliminate confusion, facilitate faster transactions, and make land administration more efficient.
The simplified Kisams will now be reflected across the state’s Record of Rights (RoR) or Patta documents, enabling easier rent fixation, smoother land transfers, and quicker processing for public purposes like acquisitions and compensation.
“Having thousands of regional Kisam names created confusion and delayed critical processes like mutation and valuation,” said a senior department official. “By streamlining them into 22 standardised categories, we’re unlocking transparency and efficiency.”
The move is expected to significantly benefit landowners, especially farmers, during compensation settlements, crop loss assessments, and subsidy distributions. It also aligns with the state’s broader push for ease of doing business and digital governance.
Some of the new Kisam categories include Jalasechita do-fasali, Gharabari, Gochar, Nadi, and Samudra, each representing distinct land-use types.
Experts believe this reform not only simplifies revenue procedures but also reduces disputes and legal bottlenecks. With standardised Kisams, benchmark valuation parity is expected to become clearer, making land transactions less ambiguous.
As Odisha moves forward with the digitisation and modernisation of its land records, this Kisam rationalisation marks a significant milestone in making governance people-centric and transparent.
