BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has accorded priority to the protection and restoration of land properties belonging to Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath in various districts of the state as well as in other states.
At a high-level review meeting chaired by the Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari measures were discussed to protect the properties and expedite action for their restoration.
As part of the initial phase, 31,906.52 acres of land, including 20,507.36 acres in Khordha district, has been recorded in the name of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath across 17 districts of Odisha.
In accordance with the directions of the High Court, stringent measures are being taken to remove illegal encroachments from Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) land, particularly along national and state highways, and expedite the resolution of revenue cases.
The meeting also decided to collect comprehensive details of Shri Jagannath’s properties located in other states. Letters will be issued to other states in a phased manner to obtain details of such properties and undertake necessary measures for their restoration.
Steps will also be taken for complete registration of these properties in favour of Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bije Puri through the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of various major schemes and citizen-centric services of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, with emphasis on land and land-record reforms and providing transparent, speedy and hassle-free revenue services.
It was informed that under the Vasundhara Scheme, surveys have been conducted and 34,251 eligible landless families have been allotted homestead land during the last two years. The Revenue Minister stressed the need to prioritise eligible beneficiaries and ensure systematic resolution of issues for effective implementation of the scheme.
The meeting also reviewed measures relating to Bhoodan land. Arrangements will be made to scan and digitise old records of almost all Bhoodan lands in the state and integrate them with Bhulekh through the Bhoodan-LRMS Portal.
Restrictions will be imposed on illegal transfer and mutation of Bhoodan land until digitisation of the records is completed. Investigations will be undertaken into fraudulent transactions, while illegal encroachments will be removed.
Bhoodan land will be allotted only to genuine homesteadless persons, keeping in view the objective envisioned by Acharya Vinoba Bhave.
Of the 52,056 degree colleges, high schools and primary schools in the state, correction of Records of Rights (RoRs) has been completed for 27,556 institutions. Instructions have been issued to ensure that all educational institutions located on lease-eligible land are provided complete RoRs by December 31, 2026.
Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, the Secretary, Board of Revenue, and senior officials of the department were present at the meeting.
