Challenges Faced by Odisha's Educational Institutions on Forest Land: A Call for Action

Educational Institutions on Forest Land in Odisha

By Rabinarayan Jena

Bhubaneswar: In Odisha, 4,203 educational institutions are situated on land classified as forest, which complicates their access to government support and resources, as reported by the Revenue and Disaster Management (R&DM) department on Monday.

This concern was raised during a high-level review meeting led by R&DM Minister Suresh Pujari at Lok Seva Bhawan. Officials revealed that out of 52,056 educational institutions in the state, which include degree colleges, high schools, and primary schools, land record updates have been finalized for 27,556 institutions.

The minister emphasized that all educational institutions on lease-eligible land must receive complete land records by December 31, 2026. Among those still pending, 3,921 are primary schools, 255 are high schools, and 27 are colleges located on forest-classified land.

Pujari instructed officials to take immediate action to reclassify the land from forest to non-forest status. He also noted irregularities concerning large areas of Bhoodan land in the state. To address this, the department will digitize old records of Bhoodan land and integrate them with the Bhulekh land record system. Until this digitization is complete, illegal transfers and mutations of Bhoodan land will be restricted.

A comprehensive investigation into alleged fraud related to Bhoodan land will be initiated, and illegal encroachers will be removed, Pujari stated. He reaffirmed the commitment to the original goals of Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan movement, ensuring that Bhoodan land is allocated solely to those genuinely without land. The minister also highlighted the importance of safeguarding land belonging to Lord Jagannath.

In the initial phase, land records for 31,906.52 acres associated with Lord Jagannath have been prepared across 17 districts, with 20,507.36 acres located in Khordha district. Following High Court directives, strict measures are being implemented to clear encroachments from SJTA land, especially along national and state highways, and to expedite the resolution of revenue disputes.

The meeting also addressed strategies to protect and reclaim Lord Jagannath’s land in various districts of Odisha and beyond. It was resolved to identify other states in phases, gather detailed information on the temple’s land holdings, recover these properties, and ensure their complete registration in favor of Lord Jagannath Mahaprabhu, Puri, through the SJTA.