Land Settlement / Puri Jagannath Temple Land Settlement to Be Completed in Two Years

Puri, Sep 8: The Odisha government has set a two-year target to complete the long-awaited settlement process of lands belonging to the Shree Jagannath Temple.

The initiative aims to regularize possession for eligible occupants who have been residing or cultivating temple land since before 2007.

A dedicated online portal will be launched within a month to make the entire process transparent and accessible. Applicants will be required to submit documents such as land records, registered deeds, rent receipts, legal heir certificates (if applicable), and proof of possession.

Also read: Odisha Cabinet Approves Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules 2026

A non-refundable fee of ₹1,000 will accompany each application.

District Collectors will form Temple Land Management Committees, with the local administration serving as nodal officers. Applications will undergo a three-stage verification process — initial scrutiny by the nodal officer within seven days, field inquiry by the concerned tehsildar within 30 days, and review by the district-level committee chaired by the Collector.

After verification, the case will be forwarded to the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee for a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Upon receiving the NOC, the district committee may recommend settlement, rejection, or further inquiry.

Three-Tier Approval System

Depending on the land size, the competent authority will decide as follows:

Collector: Up to 50 decimals of residential land or 1 acre of agricultural land.

RDC: Between 50-100 decimals of residential land or 1-2 acres of agricultural land.

Law Secretary: Between 100-150 decimals of residential or commercial land.

Once approved, the competent authority will issue a demand notice within a month. Applicants must deposit the specified amount within three months through online payment, bank draft, or banker’s cheque.

After payment, the deed execution and registration will be completed, followed by record correction by the tehsildar.

The government has also announced concessional rates for long-term occupants. Those in possession for over 30 years will pay 10% of the benchmark value (BMV), temple servants 5%, and employees 7.5%.

For 20-30 years of possession, the rates will be 15%, 7.5%, and 10% respectively. For 12-20 years, the rates will be 25%, 12.5%, and 15%. Lands exceeding 100 decimals and up to 250 decimals will require full BMV payment.

Additionally, each math or monastery will receive 100 decimals of land free of cost.

The entire process — from application to approval, payment, registration, and record update — will be conducted online, ensuring transparency and efficiency.