Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan informed the House that officials have identified 60,426.943 acres of temple land across 24 districts of Odisha based on settlement records.
Moreover, he noted that 38,061.892 acres already carry updated ownership records with the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). He shared these figures while responding to an unstarred question raised by MLA Sudarshan Haripal.
In addition, Harichandan revealed that temple land extends beyond Odisha. Authorities have traced 395.252 acres across six states. Officials and staff of the SJTA conducted ground-level verification to confirm and record these properties.
Furthermore, the minister highlighted the issue of encroachment. Within Odisha, 170 acres of temple land across seven districts remain under illegal occupation. To address this, the SJTA has already initiated legal action. A total of 974 encroachment cases have been filed under Section 16-A(1) of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, in the respective tehsildar courts.
Consequently, the government emphasised its commitment to reclaiming encroached land and protecting temple property. Officials stressed that the identification drive represents a significant step toward safeguarding the assets of Lord Jagannath.
Finally, the Assembly noted that systematic efforts are underway to restore and secure these lands, ensuring proper documentation and legal protection for future generations.
