Bhubaneswar, September 8: Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Tuesday said that settlement of land belonging to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple, Puri will be completed within two years.
The Minister said that 36,000 acres of Lord Jagannath land has been identified while identification drive underway for another 58,000 acres, spread across the country, even abroad.
For the context, the Odisha Cabinet on Monday approved new rules to bring the management and settlement of land belonging to the 12th-century Jagannath Temple under a digital and more tightly monitored system, with safeguards to prevent encroachment and fraudulent claims.
📲Follow our WhatsApp Channel for the latest news, breaking updates, and important headlines. Stay connected with us for more updates!
Under the new rules, applications for settlement of Shree Jagannath Temple land will be verified and disposed of through an online portal. A District Level Land Sub-Committee (DLLSC) headed by the District Collector will conduct field verification and scrutinise applications.
The rules provide for oversight by the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, which will issue no-objection certificates for all settlements. The Government has prescribed valuation norms based on the Benchmark Value (BMV) or Average Land Sale Statistics (ALSS), whichever is higher. The norms will apply to different categories of beneficiaries, including temple servitors, non-servitors and others.
Sharing the details of the settlement procedure, Minister Harichandan said, “Applicants will be required to submit records, registered deeds, rent receipts, and, wherever necessary, legal heir certificates and documents relating to possession/occupation of the land. A non-refundable application fee of Rs 1,000 will also be applicable.”
After submission, the case will be forwarded to the concerned District Collectorate. Within seven days of receiving the application, the Nodal Officer will conduct a preliminary verification. Thereafter, a field inquiry will be carried out by the concerned Tahsildar.
The field inquiry includes a site visit, verification of the land schedule and trace map, comparison of Sabik and Hal records, verification of possession and title, and examination of other relevant documents. The Tahsildar will submit the report within 30 days. Within seven days thereafter, the District-Level Committee, chaired by the District Collector, will examine the report.
Also Read: Odisha Para Rugby Championship Concludes As 29 Athletes Display Outstanding Wheelchair Skills
After verification by the District Committee, the case will be forwarded to the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee which will give no-objection certificate (NOC). Once the NOC is received, the District-Level Committee may recommend settlement, rejection, or further inquiry.
Approval will take place at three levels:
Depending on the area of land, the Competent Authority will take a decision at three levels:
- Collector:Residential land up to 50 decimal and agricultural land up to 1 acre.
- RDC:Residential land from 50 to 100 decimals and agricultural land from 1 to 2 acres.
- Secretary, Law Department:Residential land from 100 to 150 decimals and commercial land up to 150 decimals.
After the recommendation of the DLSC, the Competent Authority is required to take a decision within one month.
Once settlement is approved, the SJTA Chief Administrator will issue a demand notice. The applicant will have to deposit the prescribed amount within three months. Payment can be made through online payment, bank draft, or banker’s cheque.
After payment is made within the stipulated period, the deed will be executed and registered. Subsequently, the Tahsildar will make the necessary corrections in the land records and maps, bringing the process to an end.
Most importantly, the entire settlement process is targeted to be completed within two years. There is also a provision to provide eligible people who have been in possession of temple land for a long period an opportunity for settlement at concessional rates.
Also Read: “International link suspected”: Minister on five Orangutans found in Odisha
The settlement process will be made online and transparent. From application and verification to NOC, approval, payment, registration, and correction of land records, every stage will be brought under a systematic online process. The government is expected to launch the portal very soon.
Different slabs and rates:
For residential land, the applicant must have been in possession before 2007.
If the possession is for more than 30 years:
- General public: 10%
- Sevaks/Servitors: 5%
- Niyog Sevaks: 7.5%
If the possession is for 20 to 30 years:
- General public: 15%
- Sevaks/Servitors: 7.5%
- Niyog Sevaks: 10%
If the possession is for 12 to 20 years:
- General public: 25%
- Sevaks/Servitors: 12.5%
- Niyog Sevaks: 15%
However, if the land is more than 100 decimals and up to 250 decimals, the applicant will have to pay the full Benchmark Value (BMV).
Agricultural land
There are separate provisions for agricultural land as well.
- Sevaks will have to pay 50% of the Benchmark Value for agricultural land up to 1 acre.
- For land between 1 and 2 acres, the full Benchmark Value will have to be paid.
Provisions for Mutts
For Mutts, the first 100 decimals will be free, while the subsequent land up to 250 decimals will be charged at the Benchmark Value.
The new portal will be integrated with the existing platforms of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to facilitate real-time updating of land records.
