BHUBANESWAR: The Shri Jagannath Temple (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed in the Assembly by voice vote paving way for speedy disposal of land alienation cases to settle temple land in favour of people in possession of such property for long.
Moving the Bill, Law Minister Pratap Jena said the main purpose of the Bill is to amend section 16(2) of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954 to prescribe delegation of power to grant sanction to sell or otherwise alienate lands belonging to the Lord Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee.
The grant of sanction to sell or alienate lands by the State government which was required invariably in all cases of alienation may not be necessary after framing of Rule in this regard, he said.
The State Cabinet on January 5 this year approved amendments to the Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954 following which the State government promulgated an ordinance as the Assembly was not in session.
Earlier, people who had occupied or were in possession of the temple land for long had approached the government for the sale or transfer of the land. Since the process of resolution under the Act was time consuming, the government decided to simplify the process for prompt settlement of land rights.