The Odisha cabinet has approved the Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules, 2026, introducing transparent digital portals and valuation norms for temple land settlement
OdishaPlus Bureau
The Odisha Cabinet has approved the Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules, 2026, aimed at bringing greater transparency, accountability and efficiency to the settlement and management of temple land spread across the state.
The rules, approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, prescribe clear valuation norms for different categories of beneficiaries, including sevakas, mathas, non-sevakas and others. The valuation will be based on the Benchmark Value (BMV) or Average Land Sale Statistics (ALSS), whichever is higher.
For commercial land measuring up to 0.250 decimal, the valuation will be fixed at four times the higher of the BMV or ALSS.
The rules also provide a special concession for the Bijesthali of mathas – places where an idol or deity is stationed and worshipped—that have remained in continuous possession for 30 years.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said that a fully online, portal-based system would be introduced for the receipt, verification and disposal of applications relating to the settlement of Shree Jagannath Temple (SJT) land.
At the district level, a land sub-committee headed by the Collector and a Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bhumi Sanchalan Committee (SJMBSC) will be constituted to conduct field verification and scrutinise applications.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) will issue no-objection certificates for all settlements, providing an additional layer of institutional oversight. The system will also be integrated with the existing Bhulekh/Bhunaksha portal to enable real-time updating of land records.
The new framework incorporates safeguards against fraudulent or irregular settlements. A high-level appeal committee headed by the Principal Secretary of the Law Department will hear complaints and appeals from aggrieved parties, Garg said.
The new rules are expected to establish a more systematic and transparent mechanism for dealing with the vast landholdings of the Shree Jagannath Temple and reduce the scope for disputes and irregularities in their settlement.