Odisha: First Cabinet Meet Of The Year Concludes, Guv Amends Shree Jagannath Temple Act
Bhubaneswar: The first meeting of the state Cabinet of this year has been concluded under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday. With this the decision for amendment of the Shree Jagannatha Temple Act, 1954 was taken in a bid to decentralise the process of owning, leasing, and mortgaging the temple land.
Briefing newsmen after the cabinet meeting, Law minister Pratap Jena said the government will promulgate an Ordinance for the purpose and delegate powers at different levels.
Jena said earlier the people had to approach the government for approval for sale, transfer and lease of land which was taking years.
Now after the amendment the process would be faster and the people residing on Jagannath land for years would be benefitted.
The main purpose of the Amendment is to simplify the law for the convenience of the people, the minister said.
The ‘UNIFORM POLICY’ for sale or transfer of the land was shaped in the year 2003 under which the persons who had occupied or were in possession of temple land for long had to approach the State Government. This process was time taking with many applications pending for years.
This amendment has decentralised the process and has empowered the Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the Temple Management Committee to settle the lands.
It will not only solve the problems of the people who are residing on the temple land for over 50 years but also the Temple can also enhance its income with the sale of unused land.
