Odisha to amend OPLE Act to provide relief

BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Saturday introduced the Odisha Prevention of Land Encroachment (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Assembly to bring further clarity to homestead landless persons or families living in rural areas, and the settlement of government land under unauthorised occupation for housing purposes.

The Bill introduced by Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari proposes to bring in a necessary amendment in the 1972 Act to the effect that a person who owns homestead landless than one-twenty fifth of an acre, subject to fulfilling other criteria, shall also be considered as a homesteadless person.

“The OPLE Act, 1972, debars a person/family who possesses even a small piece of homestead land, say 500 sq ft, in a rural area from being treated as “homesteadless person” even if he fulfils the other conditions as specified in the Act. The said person shall be liable for eviction (in case of unauthorised occupation of government land),” Pujari stated.