Bhubaneswar, Odisha : Odisha government is set to redefine the boundaries of 1,635 new revenue villages, aiming to streamline land records and bring long-pending demands to fruition. The Revenue Department has issued a comprehensive directive to initiate this process promptly.
A circular issued by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department instructed that care must be taken to avoid overlap or mixing of old village records during the redrawing of boundaries. Each new revenue village must have separate land records, including updated plot and khata numbers.
The demand for recognizing these areas as independent revenue villages has been pending for decades. Based on recommendations from District Collectors and Settlement Officers, the state has now officially approved the formation and boundary change of these villages.
Once recognized as revenue villages:
- Independent land maps will be prepared.
- Updated landholder information (khata, plot number) will be generated.
- Names of new villages will reflect in the Bhulekh portal.
Villages with a population over 250 and located within 500 meters of the parent revenue village are eligible for recognition. All previous restrictions on recognition criteria have been lifted by the BJP-led government.
To expedite the process, the government will establish a dedicated mapping cell in every tehsil. These cells will ensure that the entire process is completed within a fixed timeline, and the villages are granted official recognition.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari highlighted the previous government’s inaction, stating:
“Between 1991 and 2024, only 1,000 villages were declared revenue villages, and maps were prepared for just 300. The BJP government is now preparing maps for the remaining 700 and the newly approved 1,635 villages — a feat the previous administration failed to deliver in 34 years.”
