Bhubaneswar: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Shri Suresh Pujari has announced the state government’s plan to introduce comprehensive amendments to the law to resolve long-standing land acquisition issues, tackle encroachment on government land, and streamline revenue administration.
The Minister made this announcement during the inaugural session of a two-day joint conference of District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police held at the Convention Center in Lok Seva Bhawan. Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, Shri Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, Revenue Divisional Commissioner(RDC) Northern Division, Shri Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav and other senior officials were present.
The state is currently facing revenue loss and delays in industrial projects due to protracted land acquisition processes and widespread encroachment on government land. Minister Shri Pujari emphasized that while the new government prioritizes industry, the process of acquiring necessary land is slow. He stated that a comprehensive roadmap would be implemented to resolve all land acquisition issues, bring encroached land under government control, provide housing for the landless, and ensure speedy justice.
Discussions during the conference focused on streamlining revenue administration, modernizing revenue records, and addressing challenges in land acquisition. The Minister noted that the new government has already introduced reforms, simplifying the land title amendment process. To support plans for various large industrial projects, the government intends to utilize a land bank, requiring the demolition of all encroachments on government land. Minister Pujari also stressed the importance of providing immediate compensation to those affected by land acquisition for project implementation.
Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Shri Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, affirmed the government’s commitment to a strong and efficient revenue administration system. He highlighted that modernization efforts have resolved over 90 percent of long-pending revenue cases.
Revenue Commissioner Northern Division, Shri Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, urged collectors to engage with the public and proactively resolve their land related issues.
Several District Collectors, including Shri Divyajyoti Parida (Puri), Shri Sachin Pawar (Kalahandi), Shri Ashutosh Kulkarni (Rayagada), Shri Aditya Goel (Bargarh), and Shri Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak (Boudh), presented their views on revenue administration, modernization of revenue records, and land acquisition problems and solutions in their respective districts, proposing necessary amendments.
Minister Shri Pujari advised all District Collectors to submit their proposals for land tenure related amendments by the end of November and proposals related to necessary amendments in the Revenue Act to the Revenue Department by the month of February. The minister also directed the proper and timely investment of development funds allocated to the districts and urged the utilization of disaster management funds for maintaining multipurpose shelters, announcing plans for 100 more such shelters in the state.