Archive · 7 Dec 2025
Odisha: Temple Land Ownership and Ganja Crackdown
The Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, owns a lot of land—over 60,000 acres in Odisha and nearly 400 acres in six other states.
The government is working to protect this land from illegal occupation.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has been cracking down on illegal ganja (a type of drug) cultivation and trafficking.
In the past five years, they have seized over 1.66 lakh kilograms of ganja and destroyed crops spread across 52,235 acres.
This year alone, they have seized 22,380 kilograms and destroyed crops on 4,364 acres.
The government is committed to continuing these efforts to stop illegal ganja production and smuggling.
Shree Jagannath Temple owns over 60,426 acres of land in Odisha and 395.252 acres in six other states.
The temple land is governed by the Law department under the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1956.
Verification revealed illegal occupation of temple land, with 974 eviction cases registered for 169.86167 acres.
Odisha government seized 1.66 lakh kg of ganja and destroyed 52,235 acres of illegal cannabis plantations in five years.
In 2023, 22,380 kg of ganja were seized, and 4,364 acres of crops were destroyed, with Kandhamal being a major hub.
- Who
- Odisha government and Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan
- What
- Shree Jagannath Temple land ownership and ganja crackdown
- When
- Recent years, with specific data up to November 2023
- Where
- Odisha and six other states (West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar)
- Why
- To secure temple property and combat illegal ganja cultivation and trafficking
- Temple Land in Odisha
- 60,426.943 acres
- Temple Land in Other States
- 395.252 acres
- Ganja Seized (5 Years)
- 1.66 lakh kg
- Ganja Crops Destroyed (5 Years)
- 52,235 acres
- Ganja Seized (2023)
- 22,380 kg
- Ganja Crops Destroyed (2023)
- 4,364 acres
- Encroached Temple Land
- 169.86167 acres
- Eviction Cases Registered
- 974
