Land Scams Keep Returning in Odisha’s Cities

By | Sashi Sekhar Samanta |
 Land is Gold. In Odisha’s rapidly expanding cities, one truth has become painfully clear: land is no longer just land—it is gold. And wherever land turns into gold, scams follow. From Bhubaneswar to Cuttack, from Rourkela to Berhampur, land controversies resurface with disturbing regularity, implicating not only private builders and middlemen but also government development agencies meant to protect public interest.
Despite repeated exposés, inquiries, and public outrage, land scams refuse to disappear. The reason is simple and uncomfortable: the system that controls urban land is opaque, over-centralised, and weakly accountable. When power over land is concentrated in a few institutions without transparency, abuse becomes routine.
The Permanent Temptation of Urban Land ,Urban Odisha is witnessing unprecedented land value appreciation. Infrastructure projects, highways, IT parks, educational hubs, and housing demand have turned once-marginal land into prime real estate. In this environment, land is no longer planned—it is traded, diverted, and manipulated. The demand-supply gap fuels speculation. Ordinary citizens wait years for a legal plot or affordable house, while well-connected individuals acquire land through shortcuts. This imbalance creates fertile ground for scams.
Government Agencies Under the Scanner, What makes Odisha’s land crisis especially troubling is the repeated appearance of government agencies in controversies. Bodies such as:
1.    Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA)
2.    Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha (IDCO)
3.    Cuttack Development Authority (CDA)
4.    Odisha State Housing Board (OSHB)
were established to regulate land use, promote planned development, and provide affordable housing. Yet time and again, citizens allege that these very institutions have become part of the problem.
BDA and Urban Housing Promises : BDA schemes attract thousands of middle-class applicants with the promise of transparency and fairness. But complaints frequently arise about: manipulated allotment processes , delays spanning decades , preferential treatment to influential applicants ,unexplained changes in land use . For many families, the dream of owning a BDA house turns into a long legal and emotional struggle.
IDCO and Industrial Land ,IDCO controls vast stretches of industrial land—arguably some of the most valuable real estate in the state. Allegations often surface about: land allotted cheaply to select companies ,diversion of industrial land for commercial or residential use ,lack of clarity on cancellations and re-allotments ,Industrial land, meant to create jobs, too often becomes a speculative asset.
CDA and Cuttack’s Planning Crisis ,Cuttack’s development authority has faced persistent criticism for unplanned growth, questionable approvals, and selective enforcement. Illegal constructions flourish while genuine applicants remain stuck in bureaucratic loops.
State Housing Board and the Middle-Class Trap, The Odisha State Housing Board was created to serve lower- and middle-income groups. Yet many beneficiaries complain of: poor-quality construction ,inflated costs ,opaque selection processes ,lack of accountability after possession .For citizens, the line between public service and profiteering appears blurred.
Why Do These Scams Keep Returning?
1. Opacity in Land Records -Despite digital initiatives, land records remain confusing and fragmented. Multiple authorities control different aspects of land, creating loopholes that are easily exploited.
2. Excessive Discretionary Power - Development authorities wield enormous discretion over: land conversion ,zoning changes ,allotments ,approvals .When discretion outweighs transparency, corruption thrives.
3. Weak Oversight -Audits are infrequent, reports are rarely made public, and internal vigilance mechanisms lack teeth. By the time irregularities surface, damage is already done.
4. Political Protection - Land scams rarely survive without political patronage. Files move slowly, inquiries drag on, and accountability fades as public attention shifts.
5. Middle-Class Silence - Victims are often middle-class families—law-abiding, non-confrontational, and reluctant to protest. Their silence becomes a shield for wrongdoing.
The Human Cost of “Land Is Gold” Behind every land scam is a human story: a family that invested lifetime savings , a retiree waiting for promised housing , a young couple stuck between rent and EMIs ,a small entrepreneur denied industrial land .Land scams do not just steal property; they steal time, trust, and dignity.
They also distort cities: unplanned growth ,shrinking public spaces ,traffic chaos ,environmental damage , unaffordable housing. Cities become hostile to ordinary citizens and welcoming only to speculators.
Can Reform Break the Cycle? If Odisha is serious about ending this cycle, cosmetic fixes will not suffice.
What Must Change: Full Transparency. All land allotments, conversions, and cancellations by BDA, IDCO, CDA, and OSHB must be publicly accessible online. Independent Oversight-Development authorities need external regulatory oversight—not internal committees. Time-Bound Justice - Land-related cases must be fast-tracked. Delay is the biggest ally of corruption. End Discretionary Culture -Clear, rule-based systems must replace “case-by-case” decisions. Citizen Participation - Urban planning must include citizen representatives, not just bureaucrats and politicians.
A Test of Governance , Land scams persist because they are low-risk, high-reward crimes. Until this equation changes, “Land Is Gold” will remain both a reality and a curse for Odisha’s cities. Development authorities were meant to protect citizens from chaos and speculation. When they themselves are perceived as complicit, public faith collapses. Odisha stands at a crossroads. It can allow land to remain a private playground for the powerful—or reclaim it as a public resource governed by fairness and transparency. Cities are built on land. Trust is built on justice. 
Without reform, both will continue to erode—quietly, expensively, and irreversibly.