Odisha government directs districts to identify and evict land sharks

11 Jul 2024 CW Team

Chief Minister Mohan Majhi sent a strong message to those encroaching on government land, instructing district administrations to prioritize identifying and evicting these squatters. He emphasized that government land is designated for public use and development projects, stating that squatters have been causing issues and need to be removed as soon as possible.

Majhi directed the concerned officials to remove the encroachers, fence the reclaimed land, and install signboards in both rural and urban areas.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari clarified that this initiative targets land sharks who have illegally occupied government land by abusing their financial and physical power. He assured that the move is not aimed at landless individuals who may be residing on government land. Pujari reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing four decimals of homestead land to every landless person in a timely manner while ensuring that land grabbers will be evicted.

Pujari further explained that land is a scarce resource, and without removing illegal occupants, the smooth execution of development projects cannot be achieved.

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