Bhubaneswar, Feb. 26: People of the state can now avail a piece of Lord Jagannath’s land on the outskirts of the city.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) will provide the land to the people through auction. In the first phase, 220 acres of land will be sold.

Sri Jagannath Temple Administration in Puri today inked an MoU with the BDA to develop the land on the outskirts of the city. The MoU was signed at the state secretariat in presence of chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Chief administrator of the temple Arvind Padhee said: “We are hopeful of generating Rs 1,000 crore by selling the land. It will enrich the present temple exchequer which has a budget of Rs 240 crore this year. The land will be developed by the BDA as we don’t have the required expertise.”

While Padhee signed on behalf of the temple administrator, vice-chairman Krishan Kumar represented the BDA.

According to the agreement, the BDA will ensure execution of all basic infrastructure development in compact land and expenditure on this will be reimbursed by the temple administrator.

The land will be developed within three years and made ready for auction sale.

“We will give five per cent of the total sale proceeds as developmental fees to BDA,” said Padhee. Padhee said the temple administration has identified 11,000 acres in Khurda district alone. “Out of it, 2,500 acres are homestead land. In the first phase, 220 acres will be developed,” he said.

BDA vice-chairman Krishan Kumar said: “Once we get possession of the land after proper verification, we will start work within three months. Our basic aim will be to get the temple administration proper value from its land.”

The temple has nearly 56,000 acres of land scattered across the country. The temple administration is in touch with the land holders and authorities concerned to get back its land.