New rules for Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management get Odisha Cabinet nod

Odisha Cabinet approved the Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules, 2026, introducing an online system, district-level scrutiny, GIS mapping and transparent valuation for temple land settlements. The rules strengthen oversight, enable appeals, penalise fraudulent claims and replace earlier land management policies

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet has approved the Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules, 2026, aimed at bringing greater transparency, accountability and efficiency in the management and settlement of Shree Jagannath Temple (SJT) lands across Odisha.

The rules received the Cabinet nod at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday evening.

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According to the official statement, the new Rules have been framed under Section 32 read with sub-section (2) of Section 16 of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, superseding the Uniform Policy, 2003 and Amended Uniform Policy, 2019.

The government said the new rules establish a fully online, portal-based system for the receipt, verification and disposal of applications for settlement of SJT lands. The rules mandate the constitution of a District Level Land Sub-Committee (DLSC), headed by the Collector, and a Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bhumi Sanchalan Committee (SJMBSC) at the district level for field verification and scrutiny of each application.

Under the new Rules, the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) shall issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for all settlements, ensuring institutional oversight. The rules prescribe valuation based on the higher of the Benchmark Value (BMV) and Average Land Sale Statistics (ALSS) for Sevakas, Mathas, Non-Sevakas and other beneficiaries.

Commercial land up to 0.250 decimal shall be valued at four times the BMV or ALSS, whichever is higher. Special concessions have been provided for Bijesthali of Mathas, with seva puja having continuous possession for over 30 years. The rules also mandate comprehensive GIS-based digital mapping and inventory of all SJT lands through a publicly accessible digital dashboard, integrated with the Revenue & Disaster Management Department’s Bhulekh/Bhunaksha portal for real-time updation.

Any settlement obtained through fraud, misrepresentation or fabricated documents shall be liable to cancellation by the SJTMC, and civil and criminal proceedings may be initiated against defaulters.

A high-level Appeal Committee headed by the Principal Secretary to Government, Law Department, has also been constituted to hear appeals from aggrieved parties.

The rules shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Odisha Gazette and shall remain in force for a period of two years.