Comptroller and Auditor General of India draft report highlights large-scale irregularities in land transfers in Odisha
April 17, 2026: A draft report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has flagged serious irregularities in the sale of land belonging to SC/ST communities in Odisha between 2018 and 2023. The audit found that in nearly one-third of the examined cases, sub-collectors allowed land sales citing medical emergencies, despite the existence of the state’s health insurance scheme, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. Out of 528 cases reviewed, 335 involving around 379 acres were deemed irregular.
The report highlighted violations of safeguards under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, which restricts SC/ST land transfers to non-SC/ST individuals without official approval. In many cases, permissions were granted without proper documentation, including 111 cases where land was sold for medical reasons and 91 cases for loan repayment without supporting records. Additionally, land transfers were approved for purposes like marriage and education, which are explicitly barred under existing guidelines.
The audit also raised concerns about systemic lapses, including instances where landowners were left with less than the minimum required land for survival and cases where land was quickly resold, suggesting possible misuse of SC/ST individuals as intermediaries. While local officials defended their decisions as based on genuine grounds, the CAG termed such explanations inadequate, indicating deeper issues in enforcement and oversight.