Bissam Cuttack — Rayagada district overview
Bissam Cuttack (also spelled Bishamakataka or Bisam Cuttack) is a tehsil and town in Rayagada district, Odisha. It falls fully within the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution — a Scheduled Area where Regulation 2 of 1956 prohibits the transfer of tribal-owned land to non-tribals without prior Sub-Collector permission.
| Particulars | Detail |
|---|---|
| Town | Bissam Cuttack (Bishamakataka) |
| District | Rayagada |
| Block / Tehsil | Bissamcuttack |
| Constitutional status | Fifth Schedule (Scheduled Area) |
| Population (2011 census) | ~30,000 (town); block population higher |
| Elevation | ~210 metres above sea level |
| Languages | Odia, Kui (Kondh tribal language), English |
| Coordinates | 19.51° N, 83.49° E |
| Tribal community | Dongria Kondh, Khond predominant |
| Cadastral portal | bhunakshaodisha.nic.in (Bissamcuttack tehsil) |
| Land records portal | bhulekh.ori.nic.in |
How to check Bissam Cuttack land records online
- Visit bhulekh.ori.nic.in.
- Pick "Select Location for ROR" → State: Odisha → District: Rayagada → Tehsil: Bissamcuttack.
- Choose the RI Circle and Village.
- Search by Khatian number, Plot number, or Tenant name.
- Cross-check the plot on Bhu Naksha at bhunakshaodisha.nic.in.
Key Bissamcuttack land-tenure facts
The Bissamcuttack block is administratively part of the Dongria Kondh micro-project area (DKDA), with overlapping protections under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) and Regulation 2 of 1956. Practically, this means:
- Tribal-owned land cannot be transferred to non-tribals. Sale to non-ST buyers is void; the Sub-Collector rarely grants permission.
- FRA pattas issued to Dongria Kondh / Khond families take precedence over earlier Bhulekh records.
- Mining leases in adjacent Niyamgiri hills (Vedanta) and Sijimali (Kashipur block) are contested; verify any plot's distance from declared mining-acquired villages.
- Sabak vs Hal — pre-1992 Sabak records are filed under undivided Koraput district; Bhulekh's Sabik-to-Hal lookup may misroute.
Documented land controversies in the Bissamcuttack-Rayagada belt
- Sijimali bauxite project (Apr 2026) — Kantamal village (Kashipur block, neighbouring Bissamcuttack); allegations of manipulated Gram Sabha for Vedanta's mining lease. (Source: Countercurrents.org)
- Niyamgiri / Lanjigarh case (SC 2013) — landmark Forest Rights Act ruling reaffirming Gram Sabha consent; covers Dongria Kondh hills overlapping Bissamcuttack and adjacent Kalahandi. (Source: The Hindu)
Compliance checklist for any Bissamcuttack land transaction
- [ ] Hal RoR pulled from bhulekh.ori.nic.in matches seller's Aadhaar / PAN.
- [ ] Sabak-to-Hal correspondence verified (cross-district Koraput overlap possible).
- [ ] Bhu Naksha plot map cross-checks the Hal RoR plot number.
- [ ] Scheduled Area: Regulation 2 of 1956 — Sub-Collector permission for ST-to-non-ST sale (rarely granted).
- [ ] FRA status: check whether the village has Individual or Community Forest Rights pattas.
- [ ] 30-year EC (Form 15) pulled from igrodisha.gov.in.
- [ ] Mining-lease boundary distance verified (Niyamgiri / Sijimali proximity).
Run a title verification on /v2/new-scan | Talk to BhoomiScan on WhatsApp
Citations
- Bhulekh Odisha — official portal (Rayagada district selection)
- Bhu Naksha Odisha — cadastral map
- Wikipedia: Bissam Cuttack
- The Hindu — Niyamgiri SC ruling