The Government of Odisha has initiated a large-scale process to identify, verify, and reclaim lands belonging to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration that are currently under encroachment both within the state and outside Odisha.
The move is aimed at strengthening the financial and institutional assets of the historic Jagannath Temple and building a strong corpus fund for future development and management.
The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Thursday. Senior officials discussed the present status of temple land records, encroachments, settlement policies, and future measures for safeguarding temple properties.
Around 36,000 Acres of Jagannath Temple Land Identified
According to the minister, nearly 36,000 acres of land linked to Lord Jagannath have already been identified by the administration. Officials revealed that approximately 25 to 26 percent of these lands are currently under encroachment.⁰
The state government plans to conduct a detailed verification and recovery exercise to bring these valuable temple properties back under official control. Authorities believe the initiative will help preserve the long-term interests and heritage associated with the Jagannath Temple administration.
Long-Term Occupants May Receive Legal Settlement Opportunity
While emphasizing strict action against illegal occupation, the Odisha government also clarified that people who have been residing on temple land for a long period may receive an opportunity for settlement under applicable legal provisions.
Minister Prithviraj Harichandan stated that the objective is to protect the interests of Lord Jagannath while ensuring a balanced, lawful, and humanitarian approach for genuine long-term residents occupying the land.
He further explained that the uniform settlement policy introduced in 2003 requires amendments to speed up the settlement process and resolve pending cases more efficiently. Several review meetings have already been conducted regarding the proposed changes.
Government Plans Amendments to Speed Up Settlement Process
The Odisha government is preparing amendments to the existing land settlement framework to accelerate decision-making and improve transparency in handling Jagannath Temple land disputes.
Officials said eligible occupants will be given an opportunity to regularize their occupation through legal settlement procedures. Once the settlement process is completed, the remaining encroached lands will be reclaimed by the government and restored to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration.
The initiative is expected to play a significant role in protecting the historic assets of the Jagannath Temple while improving land management and revenue generation for temple administration in the future.
