Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department is set to initiate the enfranchisement process to convert leasehold lands into freeholds.
According to the official reports, HUD Minister Pratap Jena stated that a survey will be carried out at Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA). The survey will also be conducted for lands under several government authorities allotted to people on lease and assess the situation, the Minister added.
The Minister further added that the government will also consider enfranchisement of leasehold lands under various Housing Boards and General Administration (GA) Department. It may be mentioned that leasehold property owners, particularly in CDA, have been demanding to convert the land to freehold so that they can enjoy their property in a true sense and develop it as per their wish.
Being leasehold property, the owners of the lands under the CDA, BDA or any other authority cannot avail bank loans to construct houses on it.
