Area / Unit Converter
In Odisha, two regional measurement systems exist. Most of the State uses 1 acre = 100 decimals and 1 acre = 25 guntha. In Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh, the system is 1 acre = 1000 decimals and 1 acre = 55 guntha. The selected system applies to both the Decimal and Guntha units below. Select the system applicable to your land.
Any dependable land area unit converter Odisha buyers, sellers and lenders rely on has to begin with one question: which regional measurement system applies to your plot? Land in this State is recorded in a mix of metric and traditional units, and the traditional units mean different things in different parts of Odisha. The same word on two records can describe two very different areas. This guide explains both systems in plain terms, sets out full conversion tables, and pairs them with the free converter on this page so that every figure you rely on is first reduced to square metres.
Whether you are reading a Record of Rights for the first time, drafting a sale deed, comparing plot prices across districts, or working out stamp duty on the benchmark value, the numbers you start with are decimals, guntha, mana, acres and hectares. Getting the conversion right is not cosmetic. A misplaced system assumption changes the consideration, the ceiling computation and the duty payable. The sections below walk through each unit, the arithmetic, and the practical checks a prudent buyer or seller in Odisha should complete before signing anything.
In most of Odisha, 1 acre = 100 decimals = 25 guntha, so 1 decimal is 40.47 sq m and 1 guntha is 161.87 sq m. In Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh, 1 acre = 1000 decimals = 55 guntha, so 1 decimal there is only 4.05 sq m and 1 guntha is 73.58 sq m.
The traditional mana is the same everywhere: 1 mana = 1,011.72 sq m and 4 mana = 1 acre. One hectare is 10,000 sq m, about 2.471 acres, and one acre is 4,046.86 sq m. Before comparing any two plots, convert both areas to square metres, then verify the figure against the Record of Rights.
Table of contents
- The converter, reference table and reading your record
- 1. Why you need a land area unit converter in Odisha
- 2. The two regional measurement systems of Odisha
- 3. Land area unit converter Odisha: the full conversion table
- 4. The units explained: decimal, guntha, mana and the metric set
- 5. Using the converter with your Record of Rights
- 6. Myths and facts about land measurement
- 7. Practical checklist before you buy or sell
- 8. How Odisha land measurement evolved
- 9. Key takeaways
- 10. Frequently asked questions
- 11. Related guides
- 12. Official sources and verification
Land in Odisha is measured in a mix of metric and traditional units, and the traditional units mean different things in different parts of the State. Records of Rights and tahasil offices in most districts count in decimals and guntha where one acre is 100 decimals or 25 guntha — while in Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh the same words describe a system where one acre is 1000 decimals or 55 guntha. This converter handles both systems, together with square metres, square feet, square yards, acres, hectares and the traditional mana.
Conversion reference
| Unit | Square metres | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 acre | 4,046.86 | Standard acre; the base for both Odisha systems |
| 1 decimal (100/acre system) | 40.47 | Most of Odisha — 100 decimals = 1 acre |
| 1 decimal (1000/acre system) | 4.05 | Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh — 1000 decimals = 1 acre |
| 1 guntha (25/acre system) | 161.87 | Most of Odisha — 25 guntha = 1 acre |
| 1 guntha (55/acre system) | 73.58 | Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh — 55 guntha = 1 acre |
| 1 mana | 1,011.72 | Traditional unit — 4 mana = 1 acre |
| 1 hectare | 10,000 | ≈ 2.471 acres; used in consolidation and government records |
A "5 decimal" plot in Bhubaneswar is roughly one-tenth the size of a "5 decimal" plot in Cuttack. Because the Record of Rights (RoR) records area in decimals, the same number in a Khordha tahasil describes a much smaller holding. When comparing plots across districts — for price, ceiling provisions under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960, or stamp duty on the benchmark value — convert both to square metres first, as this tool does.
Reading your record
The RoR (potta) entry records the plot number, its kisam (land-use classification) and its area, usually in acres, decimals and guntha in the local system. Survey measurements in the settlement record control over the recitals in a deed; a discrepancy between the deed area and the RoR area should be resolved before registration, because mutation follows the RoR. Where the plot was re-measured in the special survey or consolidation operations, the post-consolidation figure governs. For transaction purposes the area in the deed, the RoR and the mutation record should all agree.
This converter is provided for general guidance only. For advice on a specific parcel — including verification of the RoR, kisam and measurement — contact the firm. Read the full framework, including land records and measurement in practice, in the firm’s Odisha Land & Property Law Knowledge Centre guide.
1. Why you need a land area unit converter in Odisha
Land records in Odisha do not speak a single language. Records of Rights and tahasil offices in most districts count in decimals and guntha where one acre is 100 decimals or 25 guntha, while in Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh the same words describe a system where one acre is 1000 decimals or 55 guntha. A buyer who moves between these districts without converting to a common unit is comparing two different quantities without realising it.
This is why a reliable converter is a necessity rather than a convenience. The difference between the two systems is not marginal. It decides the consideration you negotiate, the stamp duty you pay on the benchmark value, and how ceiling provisions under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960 apply to a holding. Every one of those computations begins with the area, and the area must first be stated in a unit that means the same thing on both sides of the table.
1.1 The problem in one example
A “5 decimal” plot in Bhubaneswar is roughly one-tenth the size of a “5 decimal” plot in Cuttack. Because the Record of Rights records area in decimals, the same number in a Khordha tahasil describes a much smaller holding. Multiply a “5 decimal” quote by a per-decimal rate and you will either overpay or walk away from a fair bargain for the wrong reason. The same caution applies to the guntha: a guntha in the Khordha system is 73.58 sq m, less than half the 161.87 sq m it represents elsewhere in the State.
1.2 Where conversions actually matter
Three situations account for most conversion errors in practice. First, price comparison: quoted rates per decimal or per guntha are meaningless across districts until they are reduced to a rate per square metre. Second, statutory ceilings: ceiling provisions under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960 operate on the holding’s area, so a figure that is off by a factor of ten produces a completely wrong answer. Third, stamp duty: duty is charged on the benchmark value of the property, and the benchmark follows the recorded area. In each case, the square-metre figure is the honest common denominator.
When two figures must be compared — price, ceiling or duty — convert both to square metres first, exactly as the converter on this page does. The square metre does not change meaning from one district to the next.
2. The two regional measurement systems of Odisha
The two systems coexist because land measurement in Odisha grew out of local settlement practice rather than a single statewide standard. The units carry the same names; the quantities behind them do not. Understanding which system your plot falls under is the single most important step in any conversion.
2.1 Most of Odisha — 100 decimals and 25 guntha per acre
In the system followed across most of the State, one acre is divided into 100 decimals and 25 guntha. One decimal is therefore 40.47 sq m and one guntha is 161.87 sq m. Records of Rights in these districts record area in acres, decimals and guntha on this basis, and the arithmetic between the sub-units is straightforward: four decimals make one guntha, and twenty-five guntha make the acre.
2.2 Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh — 1000 decimals and 55 guntha per acre
In this system, one acre is divided into 1000 decimals and 55 guntha. One decimal is 4.05 sq m and one guntha is 73.58 sq m. The acre itself is unchanged — it is still 4,046.86 sq m — but every sub-unit beneath it is smaller, and dramatically so for the decimal, which is roughly one-tenth of its counterpart elsewhere in the State.
2.3 The systems side by side
| Unit | Most of Odisha (100/acre, 25/acre) | Khordha, Bhubaneswar & parts of Nayagarh (1000/acre, 55/acre) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 acre | 4,046.86 sq m | 4,046.86 sq m |
| 1 decimal | 40.47 sq m | 4.05 sq m |
| 1 guntha | 161.87 sq m | 73.58 sq m |
| 1 mana | 1,011.72 sq m | 1,011.72 sq m |
The system is tied to the tract where the land lies, not to the parties or the wording of a deed. If you are unsure, ask at the tahasil office concerned and confirm against the Record of Rights before converting. The selector inside the converter above lets you run the same figure through both systems.
3. Land area unit converter Odisha: the full conversion table
The tables below set out the complete set of conversions used across this page. Every value is computed from the standard acre of 4,046.86 sq m and the two regional divisions of it, so the figures here and the figures the converter returns will always agree.
3.1 One acre in every unit
| Unit | Decimals | Guntha | Mana | Sq m | Sq ft | Sq yd | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 acre — most of Odisha | 100 | 25 | 4 | 4,046.86 | 43,560.06 | 4,840.01 | 0.4047 |
| 1 acre — Khordha system | 1000 | 55 | 4 | 4,046.86 | 43,560.06 | 4,840.01 | 0.4047 |
The acre row makes the point cleanly: the acre, the mana and the metric units are identical in both systems, and only the decimal and the guntha change size. That is why cross-district comparisons should always travel through square metres.
3.2 Full conversion table — most of Odisha (1 acre = 100 decimals = 25 guntha)
| Unit | Acres | Decimals | Guntha | Mana | Sq m | Sq ft | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Acre | 1.00 | 100.00 | 25.00 | 4.00 | 4,046.86 | 43,560.06 | 0.4047 |
| 1 Decimal | 0.01 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 0.04 | 40.47 | 435.60 | 0.004047 |
| 1 Guntha | 0.04 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 0.16 | 161.87 | 1,742.40 | 0.0162 |
| 1 Mana | 0.25 | 25.00 | 6.25 | 1.00 | 1,011.72 | 10,890.01 | 0.1012 |
| 1 Hectare | 2.47 | 247.11 | 61.78 | 9.88 | 10,000 | 107,639.15 | 1.00 |
| 1 Square metre | 0.000247 | 0.0247 | 0.006178 | 0.000988 | 1.00 | 10.76 | 0.0001 |
| 1 Square foot | 0.000023 | 0.002296 | 0.000574 | 0.000092 | 0.0929 | 1.00 | 0.000009 |
| 1 Square yard | 0.000207 | 0.0207 | 0.005165 | 0.000826 | 0.8361 | 9.00 | 0.000084 |
3.3 Full conversion table — Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh (1 acre = 1000 decimals = 55 guntha)
| Unit | Acres | Decimals | Guntha | Mana | Sq m | Sq ft | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Acre | 1.00 | 1,000 | 55.00 | 4.00 | 4,046.86 | 43,560.06 | 0.4047 |
| 1 Decimal | 0.001 | 1.00 | 0.055 | 0.004 | 4.05 | 43.56 | 0.000405 |
| 1 Guntha | 0.0182 | 18.18 | 1.00 | 0.0727 | 73.58 | 792.00 | 0.007358 |
| 1 Mana | 0.25 | 250.00 | 13.75 | 1.00 | 1,011.72 | 10,890.01 | 0.1012 |
| 1 Hectare | 2.47 | 2,471.05 | 135.91 | 9.88 | 10,000 | 107,639.15 | 1.00 |
| 1 Square metre | 0.000247 | 0.2471 | 0.0136 | 0.000988 | 1.00 | 10.76 | 0.0001 |
| 1 Square foot | 0.000023 | 0.023 | 0.001263 | 0.000092 | 0.0929 | 1.00 | 0.000009 |
| 1 Square yard | 0.000207 | 0.2066 | 0.0114 | 0.000826 | 0.8361 | 9.00 | 0.000084 |
3.4 Worked examples
Suppose a seller in Cuttack offers 15 decimals, and a seller in Bhubaneswar offers what sounds like the same 15 decimals. In the 100-decimals-per-acre system, 15 decimals is 607.03 sq m, or about 6,534.01 sq ft. In the 1000-decimals-per-acre system, 15 decimals is only 60.70 sq m, or about 653.40 sq ft. The identical-sounding offers differ by a factor of ten.
Or take the guntha. Three guntha in the Khordha system amount to 220.74 sq m, while three guntha elsewhere in the State come to more than double that. And half a mana — a common fraction in rural negotiation — is 505.86 sq m, a figure that is stable across Odisha because the mana does not change meaning between systems. Run any of these through the converter above and confirm the arithmetic before you rely on it.
4. The units explained: decimal, guntha, mana and the metric set
4.1 The decimal — the workhorse of the Record of Rights
The decimal is the unit most often encountered in Odisha land records, because the RoR records area in decimals in the local system. In most of the State one decimal is 40.47 sq m, or about 435.6 sq ft. In Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh, one decimal is 4.05 sq m, or about 43.56 sq ft. When a record says an area is, say, “0.15 acre, 12 decimals”, those decimals are being counted in the local system, which is why the district must be settled first.
4.2 The guntha — the quarter-acre family, with a twist
The guntha sits between the decimal and the acre. In most of Odisha, 25 guntha make an acre and one guntha is 161.87 sq m. In the Khordha system, 55 guntha make an acre and one guntha is 73.58 sq m. The guntha is common in everyday negotiation, so it deserves the same caution as the decimal: never accept a per-guntha rate from another district at face value.
4.3 The mana — Odisha’s traditional large unit
The mana is a traditional Odia unit that sits outside the decimal-and-guntha family. Four mana make one acre, and one mana is 1,011.72 sq m. Because its relationship to the acre is fixed, the mana is a useful cross-check: whatever the district, a mana is a mana.
4.4 Acre, hectare and the metric units
The acre is the base unit of both Odisha systems and equals 4,046.86 sq m. The hectare — 10,000 sq m, or about 2.471 acres — is used in consolidation and government records. Square metres and square feet are uniform everywhere: one square metre is 10.764 sq ft, and the converter also handles square yards (0.836127 sq m each) for documents that use them.
5. Using the converter with your Record of Rights
Conversion is only half the exercise; the other half is knowing which record to convert from. The RoR is the starting point for every figure in this page.
5.1 Reading the potta
The RoR — the potta — records the plot number, its kisam (the land-use classification) and its area, usually stated in acres, decimals and guntha in the local system. Note all three when you read it: the plot number identifies the parcel, the kisam tells you what the land is classified as, and the area, read in the correct regional system, is what you convert. An area read in the wrong system is wrong by a factor of ten, and no amount of careful arithmetic afterwards will fix it.
5.2 When the deed and the RoR disagree
Survey measurements in the settlement record control over the recitals in a deed. A discrepancy between the deed area and the RoR area should be resolved before registration, because mutation follows the RoR. For transaction purposes the area in the deed, the RoR and the mutation record should all agree. If they do not, pause the transaction and reconcile the records first — it is far easier to correct a figure before registration than to litigate over it afterwards.
5.3 Special survey and consolidation re-measurement
Where the plot was re-measured in the special survey or in consolidation operations, the post-consolidation figure governs. The pre-survey or pre-consolidation area in older documents may still circulate in local discussion, but it is the re-measured figure that counts in the records. Check the settlement record and the consolidation record for the parcel before relying on any inherited figure.
The deed, the RoR and the mutation record should tell one story. Where they differ, the settlement survey and the RoR control — resolve the difference before registration, not after.
6. Myths and facts about land measurement
Most measurement disputes the firm sees trace back not to bad arithmetic but to a confidently held wrong assumption. These are the five we encounter most often.
A decimal is the same size everywhere in Odisha.
It is not. One decimal is 40.47 sq m in most of the State but only 4.05 sq m in Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh — roughly one-tenth of the size. The same word describes two different plots.
The area written in my deed is the final word.
Survey measurements in the settlement record control over the recitals in a deed, and mutation follows the Record of Rights. A discrepancy between the two should be resolved before registration, not after.
A guntha is a fixed fraction of an acre, so it is uniform.
The fraction depends on the system: one twenty-fifth of an acre in most of Odisha, which is 161.87 sq m, but one fifty-fifth of an acre where 55 guntha make an acre, which is 73.58 sq m.
Mana is just another word for guntha.
No. The mana is a separate traditional unit: 4 mana make 1 acre and 1 mana is 1,011.72 sq m, several times larger than a guntha in either system.
Acres and hectares are close enough to treat as equal.
One hectare is about 2.471 acres. Treating them as interchangeable misstates an area by roughly two and a half times, which matters in consolidation and government records where the hectare is the working unit.
7. Practical checklist before you buy or sell
Run through this sequence before any document is signed. It takes minutes, and it removes the errors that cost the most to unwind.
- Confirm the district and the regional measurement system that applies to the plot — 100 or 1000 decimals per acre.
- Obtain the Record of Rights (potta) and note the plot number, the kisam and the recorded area.
- Convert the recorded area to square metres with the converter before making any comparison.
- Compare price per square metre, not per decimal, when weighing plots in different districts.
- Check whether the plot was re-measured in a special survey or consolidation operation — the post-consolidation figure governs.
- Ensure the deed area and the RoR area agree before registration is attempted.
- For ceiling purposes under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960, work from the converted area, not the raw decimal figure.
- Compute stamp duty on the benchmark value using the verified area.
- After registration, confirm that the mutation entry matches the RoR area.
None of these steps requires anything beyond the records themselves, the converter on this page, and a little patience. Together they close off nearly every measurement error that reaches a deed.
8. How Odisha land measurement evolved
The present system makes most sense read backwards, from today’s Record of Rights to the customary units it replaced. The milestones below trace that path using the systems of record described in this page.
Customary measurement
Before modern survey and settlement, land in Odisha was held and traded under traditional local units. The mana belongs to this tradition, and its recorded relationship to the acre is fixed at 4 mana = 1 acre, or 1,011.72 sq m per mana.
Survey and settlement
Settlement operations created the Record of Rights — the potta — which records each plot’s number, its kisam (land-use classification) and its area, usually in acres, decimals and guntha in the local system.
Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960
The Act brought in ceiling provisions, and holdings came to be measured against the recorded area for ceiling purposes. Accurate conversion between decimals, guntha and metric units became a statutory necessity, not a matter of convenience.
Special survey and re-measurement
Where plots were re-measured in the special survey, the post-survey figures govern over the recitals in a deed. Deeds drafted on stale figures had to give way to the survey record.
Consolidation operations
Consolidation brought the hectare into government records — 1 hectare is 10,000 sq m, about 2.471 acres. Where a plot was re-measured in consolidation, the post-consolidation figure governs.
The present day
The Record of Rights remains the anchor of every transaction: mutation follows the RoR, and for any sale the deed, the RoR and the mutation record should all agree on the area.
9. Key takeaways
- Odisha runs two regional measurement systems: 1 acre = 100 decimals = 25 guntha in most of the State, and 1 acre = 1000 decimals = 55 guntha in Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh.
- Always convert to square metres before comparing plots across districts; the decimal and the guntha change meaning, the square metre does not.
- The fixed anchors are: 1 acre = 4,046.86 sq m; 1 mana = 1,011.72 sq m with 4 mana = 1 acre; 1 hectare = 10,000 sq m, about 2.471 acres.
- The RoR (potta) records the plot number, the kisam and the area; survey measurements in the settlement record control over deed recitals.
- Resolve any deed-versus-RoR difference before registration, because mutation follows the RoR.
- Where a plot was re-measured in a special survey or consolidation operation, the post-consolidation figure governs.
- Use verified, converted areas for price negotiation, ceiling computation under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960, and stamp duty on the benchmark value.
10. Frequently asked questions
How many decimals make one acre in Odisha?
It depends on the district. In most of Odisha, 1 acre = 100 decimals, so 1 decimal is 40.47 sq m. In Khordha, Bhubaneswar and parts of Nayagarh, 1 acre = 1000 decimals, so 1 decimal is only 4.05 sq m. Always confirm which regional measurement system applies to your plot before converting.
How many guntha make one acre?
In most of Odisha, 1 acre = 25 guntha and 1 guntha is 161.87 sq m. In the Khordha, Bhubaneswar and Nayagarh system, 1 acre = 55 guntha and 1 guntha is 73.58 sq m. The guntha therefore changes size between the two systems, even though the acre does not.
What is a mana and how big is it?
The mana is a traditional Odia unit of area. Four mana make one acre, and 1 mana works out to 1,011.72 sq m. Unlike the decimal and the guntha, the mana does not change meaning between the two regional systems.
How do I convert decimals to square feet?
First convert decimals to square metres, then square metres to square feet. In the 100-decimals-per-acre system, 1 decimal is 40.47 sq m, which is about 435.6 sq ft. In the 1000-decimals-per-acre system, 1 decimal is 4.05 sq m, which is about 43.56 sq ft. The converter on this page does both steps for you.
Why does the area in my sale deed differ from the RoR?
Survey measurements in the settlement record control over the recitals in a deed. A discrepancy between the deed area and the Record of Rights area should be resolved before registration, because mutation follows the RoR. For transaction purposes, the area in the deed, the RoR and the mutation record should all agree.
Is a decimal in Bhubaneswar the same as a decimal in Cuttack?
No. A “5 decimal” plot in Bhubaneswar is roughly one-tenth the size of a “5 decimal” plot in Cuttack, because Bhubaneswar follows the 1000-decimals-per-acre system while Cuttack follows the 100-decimals-per-acre system. Convert both figures to square metres before comparing price, ceiling or duty.
How many hectares is one acre?
One acre is 4,046.86 sq m, which is 0.4047 hectares. Conversely, 1 hectare is 10,000 sq m, or about 2.471 acres. Hectares appear mainly in consolidation and government records.
Which unit should I use when comparing land prices?
Use square metres, or square feet if you prefer. Both are uniform across Odisha, unlike the decimal and the guntha, which mean different things in different districts. Convert every figure to a common metric unit before negotiating.
11. Related guides
These guides and tools from the firm’s Knowledge Centre cover the legal context around the numbers — the statutes, the records and the calculations that follow from a verified area.
12. Official sources and verification
Official sources
The area recorded against your plot has one authoritative source: the Record of Rights maintained in the local system, obtainable from the tahasil office concerned, read together with the settlement record and the mutation register. There is no substitute for inspecting these records directly, and this page deliberately links only to sources that appear in them or in the firm’s own guides.
The firm’s Odisha Land & Property Law Knowledge Centre guide explains land records and measurement in practice, and the firm can be reached through the contact page for advice on a specific parcel.
Measurement questions look small until money changes hands. Spend a few minutes with the converter above, keep these tables bookmarked, and you will negotiate from figures you can defend. And if a record does not quite add up, it is always better to have it looked at early — that conversation is far shorter, and far cheaper, than a dispute later.