BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has decided to undertake major reforms to the Uniform Land Settlement Policy (ULSP), 2003, and to amend the Shree Jagannath Temple (SJT) Act, 1955, to ensure smoother administration, improved revenue management, and disciplined conduct at the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced this after chairing a high-level meeting.
Addressing mediapersons, the Minister said the meeting focused on long-pending issues related to the management of landed properties belonging to Bhagwan Jagannath and the overall governance and security of the shrine.
“It was resolved that reforms will be brought in the Uniform Land Settlement Policy, 2003, and necessary amendments along with new provisions will be incorporated in the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, which is nearly 70 years old,” Harichandan said.
The Minister noted that the temple owns more than 55,000 acres of land across Odisha and six other states, yet it does not receive adequate revenue from most of these assets. In many locations, temple lands have been encroached upon by private individuals, some of whom have occupied the land for decades without formal ownership rights or revenue contributions to the shrine.
“As a result, neither the temple benefits from its rightful revenue nor do the occupants gain legal security. This imbalance needs to be corrected through policy reform,” the Minister said.
The meeting, held at the Law Department Conference Hall in Lok Seva Bhavan, discussed the proper settlement of land recorded in the name of Bhagwan Jagannath. Deliberations were held on amending existing provisions governing the allotment of land to Daitapatis, Nijogs, servitors, and mathas who have been residing permanently on temple land for extended periods.
Officials noted that the proposed reforms would benefit both servitors and non-servitors living on these lands while also ensuring smoother, more transparent revenue collection for the Shree Mandir. Proposals to remove encroachments from several high-value temple properties and reallocate them at optimal value were also examined.
In addition, the meeting discussed comprehensive amendments to the Shree Jagannath Temple Act to strengthen temple governance. Given the Act’s antiquity, discussions focused on introducing reforms, including establishing subcommittees, streamlining religious rituals and services, preventing disorderly conduct, restricting prohibited items within temple premises, and strengthening penal provisions.
The Minister said that measures such as banning mobile phones, cameras, and other restricted items on temple premises were also discussed to maintain sanctity and security.
Special emphasis was placed on raising awareness among devotees and pilgrims to maintain decorum inside the temple, including encouraging the use of traditional Indian attire during temple visits. The meeting also discussed incorporating legal provisions to take strict action against those spreading misinformation, defaming Jagannath culture, or engaging in malicious propaganda on social media.
Highlighting the socio-economic aspect, Harichandan said many poor servitors in Puri have been living on temple lands for decades without legal rights. “Reforming the Uniform Land Settlement Policy will benefit both the residents and the temple, while also strengthening the temple’s corpus fund,” he added.
According to official sources, Bhagwan Jagannath owns 60,426.943 acres of land across 24 districts of Odisha, while another 395.252 acres of temple land have been identified in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar.
A senior official said the State Law Commission has already held two rounds of consultations on the issue and has submitted recommendations to strengthen legal provisions governing disciplined temple management. The latest meeting, he added, marked a significant step toward comprehensive reform of temple governance and land administration.
