Minister Pujari Reviews Odisha’s Land Reforms and Temple Property Protection
Bhubaneswar: Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari chaired a marathon review meeting to assess key initiatives of the department.
The session focused on digitisation of Bhoodan land records, protection of Jagannath Temple properties, allotment of homestead land under the Vasundhara scheme, and correction of land records for educational institutions.
Pujari directed officials to expedite digitisation of Bhoodan records through the Bhoodan‑LRMS Portal and restrict illegal transfers until the process is complete.
Fraudulent transactions and encroachments will be investigated and removed, with land allotted only to genuine homesteadless persons.
The Minister emphasised safeguarding 31,906.52 acres of Jagannath Temple land across 17 districts, prioritising removal of encroachments along highways.
Letters will be issued to other States to collect details of temple properties and ensure restoration under the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration.
Under the Vasundhara scheme, 34,251 landless families have been allotted homestead land in the past two years.
Pujari urged officials to prioritise eligible beneficiaries and resolve pending issues systematically.
For educational institutions, corrections have been completed for 27,556 out of 52,056 institutions, with a deadline set for December 31, 2026, to finalise all records.
Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee and the Secretary, Board of Revenue, attended the review.
