# Odisha government launches massive land verification drive, Lord Jagannath properties found even in Sindh > The Odisha government has initiated a comprehensive verification process to identify and secure Lord Jagannath temple properties across India and abroad. Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan revealed that temple land also exists in the Sindh region of Pakistan. **Type:** article · **Category:** Odisha · **Published:** 2026-09-09 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/odisha/odisha-government-launches-massive-land-verification-drive-lord-jagannath-properties-found-even-in-sindh-30467 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Sri Jagannath Temple, Odisha Government, Prithiviraj Harichandan, Jagannath Land Records, Sindh Pakistan Land, Puri Jagannath, Temple Administration The Odisha government has decided to undertake a massive verification and documentation drive concerning the extensive land parcels and assets attached to Lord Sri Jagannath. Under this comprehensive initiative, the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration will identify, investigate, and record properties located not only within Odisha but across various other parts of the country and even beyond national borders. Notably, Lord Jagannath is immensely wealthy with Rs 1,912 crores lying in banks and enough land to build an entire city. ## Shocking Claims by the Law Minister Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan chaired a high-level review meeting where detailed discussions were held regarding the temple administration's land holdings, encroachments, land records, and settlement regulations. According to the minister, approximately 36,000 acres of land associated with Lord Sri Jagannath have been identified so far across different locations. ## Encroachment on a Quarter of the Land Reports indicate that roughly 25 to 26 percent of the identified land is currently under encroachment. This means a significant portion of the temple administration's property is held illegally by other occupants. The government will now thoroughly examine the land records to ascertain the exact locations, current occupants, and instances where legal action or property recovery is necessary. ## Temple Land Traced to Sindh in Pakistan The most striking aspect of the entire announcement is the revelation that some land belonging to Lord Sri Jagannath is also located in the Sindh region of present-day Pakistan. The minister stated that while temple properties exist across various regions of India, information confirms holdings in the Sindh area as well. The government will gradually commence the process of tracing such overseas properties. ## Plans Beyond Securing Property The government maintains that its objective extends beyond merely removing encroachments. Authorities aim to permanently safeguard the historical assets of the Shri Jagannath Temple and strengthen the financial standing of the administration. Securing these land holdings will eventually help boost the temple administration's revenue and build a robust corpus fund, which can be utilized for future developmental and management activities. Furthermore, officials indicated that aggressive eviction will not be applied universally. Individuals who have resided on the temple land for extended periods and qualify under legal regulations for settlement or regularisation may be granted an opportunity to formalize their status. Consequently, the administration intends to reclaim properties while simultaneously addressing eligible long-term occupants through established legal frameworks. ## Overhauling the Land Settlement System The Law Minister noted that the uniform settlement policy introduced in 2003 now requires necessary amendments. The administration believes that modifying the existing procedure will expedite the resolution of land-related disputes. Several review meetings have already taken place to prepare for these vital revisions in the land settlement mechanism. Under the proposed framework, legally eligible individuals will get the opportunity to regularize their occupation according to prescribed rules. In cases where occupants are ineligible or properties are found under unlawful occupation, steps will be taken to restore those parcels back under the direct control of the temple administration. ## Strengthening Temple Administration The Odisha administration anticipates that this sweeping initiative will result in much better management of the properties belonging to the Shri Jagannath Temple. Establishing accurate records for encroached lands and resolving eligible cases through proper legal channels will provide the administration with transparent documentation of its assets. Additionally, potential revenue generated from these landholdings can be managed more effectively. The overarching goal of the government is to combine asset security with economic reinforcement to support the future development of the institution. In another major update concerning the temple's treasures, the Ratna Bhandar inventory fully matched the 1978 records, with all items confirmed safe. ## What this means for you The comprehensive verification and regularization of Lord Jagannath temple properties will significantly enhance the institution's financial corpus and religious management. - **Across India:** The auditing and proper recording of thousands of acres of temple land nationwide will establish a strong legal benchmark for protecting institutional assets. - **In Odisha:** Long-standing land disputes between occupants and the state administration will be resolved swiftly through transparent legal frameworks. ## Why this happened The administration was compelled to launch this massive verification drive due to widespread encroachments on temple land and the limitations of outdated settlement laws. - **Encroachment Levels:** Approximately 25 to 26 percent of the 36,000 identified acres of temple property are currently held under illegal occupation. - **Outdated Policies:** The 2003 settlement policy proved inadequate for handling modern land disputes efficiently, necessitating structural amendments. - **Historical Spread:** Tracing accurate records had become imperative given that properties are scattered across various regions of India and overseas in Sindh. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. How much land associated with Lord Jagannath has been identified so far? Approximately 36,000 acres of land linked to the Sri Jagannath Temple administration have been identified so far. ### 2. What percentage of the identified land is currently under encroachment? Roughly 25 to 26 percent of the identified temple land is reported to be under illegal occupation. ### 3. In which foreign country has temple land been reported to exist? The Law Minister stated that some land belonging to the temple is also located in the Sindh region of Pakistan. ### 4. Which existing policy is the Odisha government planning to amend? The government is preparing to amend the uniform settlement policy that was implemented back in the year 2003. ### 5. How much cash does the temple currently hold in banks? Lord Jagannath holds Rs 1,912 crores in bank deposits. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._