Shri Jagannath Temple Land Holdings Identified Across Six States and Odisha
The Odisha Assembly was informed that nearly 400 acres of Shri Jagannath Temple land have been identified outside the state, alongside more than 60,000 acres within Odisha.
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan confirmed that officials traced 395.252 acres of temple property spread across six states, with West Bengal holding the largest share at 322.930 acres.
Other states include Maharashtra (28.21 acres), Madhya Pradesh (25.11 acres), Andhra Pradesh (17.02 acres), Chhattisgarh (1.7 acres), and Bihar (0.27 acres).
Within Odisha, the temple owns 60,426.943 acres of land across 24 districts, with the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) maintaining revised records for 38,061.792 acres.
However, safeguarding these vast assets remains a challenge. Verification exercises revealed multiple instances of illegal occupation, prompting authorities to file 974 eviction cases under the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, covering 169.86167 acres of encroached land across seven districts.
Lawmakers emphasized the importance of strict monitoring and legal action to protect temple property. The government assured that steps are being taken to secure these assets and ensure their use for religious and community welfare.
