BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha cabinet has decided to amend the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954 in order to resolve Jagannath land-related concerns as soon as possible.

According to Law Minister Pratap Jena, the cabinet meeting, which was held virtually under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, decided to bring an ordinance to change certain clauses of the Act. For the sale and lease of land in the name of Lord Jagannath, the cabinet gave powers to the temple administration, the temple management committee, and concerned officials.

"Due to existing provisions in the Act, those who have inhabited temple land and desired to obtain land rights have been unable to do so. The law department received all of these offers. The government has decided to change the Act in order to streamline the system "Jena expressed her thoughts. Previously, he said, those who had long occupied or owned temple land petitioned the state government for the sale, transfer, or mortgage of the land.

There is no longer any need to seek official approval for this. Jena instructed them that they might submit their application to the temple managing committee, temple administration, and concerned officials. Thousands of families from across the state had requested for the settlement of these areas, according to Jena, and would profit from the cabinet's decision.

This decision will solve the problems of those living on temple land for more than four to fifty years across the state. The sale of such property will also increase the temple administration's revenue, according to Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra.

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