Residents and servitors associated with the Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha will soon have the opportunity to apply online for official land settlement rights, thanks to recent updates to regulations set for 2026.
In Bhubaneswar, the state government is implementing a new initiative aimed at organizing the extensive religious properties associated with the temple, allowing long-term occupants to regularize their land rights.
This shift will replace lengthy, paperwork-intensive processes with a comprehensive digital platform, offering formal land settlement rights to both hereditary servitors (sevayats) and residents who have lived on temple land for decades without established deeds.
The plan was discussed during a high-level administrative meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan, which was chaired by Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan.
With the introduction of this portal, occupants will no longer need to navigate physical files across various government offices; instead, they can directly submit their residency information and claims online. This will help create a central, searchable database of land occupants, which aims to reduce disputes, eliminate intermediaries, and expedite decision-making.
During the meeting, Minister Harichandan emphasized the importance of a user-friendly interface so that applicants can easily navigate the system. He also highlighted the necessity for the portal to be launched swiftly and to function transparently to minimize administrative hold-ups.
The Puri shrine encompasses tens of thousands of acres across Odisha and neighboring states. Due to informal occupation over many generations, establishing clear tenancy has historically presented legal and administrative hurdles for both the residents and the temple management.
This initiative follows the recent Cabinet approval of the Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules, 2026. These new regulations provide specific timelines and standard valuation criteria for processing land claims. The online portal will connect directly with the state’s digital revenue systems, Bhulekh and Bhunaksha, and will also incorporate on-site inspections by district authorities to verify the claims.
Senior officials participating in the review included Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration and Additional Chief Secretary for Revenue; Vishal Dev, Additional Chief Secretary for Electronics and IT; Dr. Pabitra Mohan Samal, Principal Secretary for Law; and Shibaprasad Mahapatra, Additional Secretary for Law. Puri Collector Dibyajyoti Parida attended via video conference, along with representatives from state IT agencies OCAC and ONIC.
