Bhubneshwar: The Odisha government has started the process to sell more than 35,000-acre land registered in the name of Lord Jagannath, Law Minister Pratap Jena informed the state assembly on Tuesday. While land in the name of Lord Jagannath is spread over 24 districts of Odisha, 395.252 acres have been identified in six other states.

Replying to a question in Odisha Assembly, Law Minister Pratap Jena said, "Around 60,426 acres of land in the name of Lord Jagannath, has been identified in 24 districts across the state. Over 395 acres of land has been identified in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar.”

Collectors of the concerned districts are being contacted to sell these properties, the minister added.

The temple administration has reclaimed 34,876.983 acres of land so far. “Steps are being taken to sell the reclaimed land as per the Saman Niti (uniform policy) approved by the government,” added Jena.

“The state government has taken necessary steps to sell the temple land as per the recommendation of a committee headed by former Governor BD Sharma and the approval of the Jagannath temple managing committee," he said.

He added that 315.337 acres of Jagannath land in different districts has been sold, including the building at Bharati Mutt in Cuttack, and added that Rs 11,20,77,000 have been deposited in the temple fund.

The government has also decided that those who have encroached on temple land for more than 30 years can take possession of the land by paying Rs 6 lakh per acre.

While those who have encroached for more than 20 years will have to pay Rs 9 lakh per acre, those for more than 12 years will have to pay Rs 15 lakh per acre to take possession of the land.

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