Odisha Govt Warns Of Stern Action For Sale Of Vasundhara Land

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has warned of stern action for sale of land allotted under its Vasundhara scheme.

Speaking to media persons in Bhubaneswar on Friday, Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management Suresh Pujari said the homestead land allotted under Vasundhara scheme cannot be sold without government permission. If any beneficiary or his successors is found to have sold such land, stringent action would be taken against him or her, he added.

Puari said as per Odisha Land Settlement Act 1962, the government had provided four decimals of homestead land under Vasundhara scheme to landless family in the state.

Stating that there was a provision that the beneficiary could sell the land after 10 years, the minister said as per a recent amendment, land received under Vasundhara scheme cannot be sold anymore arbitrarily.

“If a beneficiary’s successor has inherited Vasundhara land of less than four acre, he or she will have to surrender that land. The government will allot him or her land again as per new guidelines,” he said.

Pujari further said if someone wanted to sell the Vasundhara land, he has to get due permission from the authorities. But a beneficiary or his family cannot sell the land as per his or her will.

It may be noted that after the BJP government came to power in 2024, district collectors have been directed to collect information and submit a report on the status quo of land received by beneficiaries under Vasundhara scheme in decadal basis in a descending order with effect from the 2023-24 financial year.

Further, the identification process was initiated after it came to the notice of the Revenue Minister that record of rights (RoRs) had been issued by authorities in favour of homestead-less and landless persons without due sanction of lease and even opening the case records.

The government has announced to ensure every citizen a homestead plot and a house within next five years. As per the plan, people in rural areas with an annual income below Rs 1 lakh and without a homestead plot will be allocated four decimal of land. If people reside on government land that is not classified as ‘gochar’ (pasture land), ‘jalchar’ (wetlands) or cremation grounds, the land will be officially settled in their names.