The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) says more than 12,393 acres of land allotted for industries and related activities in Odisha between 1981 and 2021 remain unused. The audit also finds that hundreds of acres of government, agricultural and forest land have been encroached upon, diverted, or used without authorisation.
The report adds that land earmarked for industrial purposes is not being taken up as planned over the four-decade period. It also highlights issues around improper land use, including encroachments and diversion away from intended categories. The article frames these findings as part of an audit into how allotted industrial land is utilised and monitored over time.
Across the coverage provided, the focus is on the scale of unused industrial land and the related cases of unauthorised or irregular use of other categories of land, with no significant differences in figures or conclusions between outlets.
