Odisha to launch e-portal for Shree Jagannath Temple land settlement

The Odisha state government is developing a new digital e-portal to streamline the land settlement process for properties owned by the Shree Jagannath Temple. The initiative aims to grant formal land rights to both hereditary servitors (sevayats) and long-term non-servitor residents who have occupied temple lands for decades without settled deeds.

Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan recently chaired a high-level meeting to review the system's design. The portal is intended to replace slow, paper-based reviews with a transparent, unified digital system that creates a searchable inventory of occupants. This move is expected to reduce secondary disputes and eliminate middlemen.

The rollout follows the Cabinet's recent approval of the Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules, 2026. To ensure accuracy, the portal will synchronize with the state’s existing digital revenue platforms, Bhulekh and Bhunaksha, to verify claims.