Bhubaneswar: Kotia cluster of villages in Koraput district is an “inseparable part” of Odisha, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari asserted on Wednesday while issuing a stern warning to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh against any attempt to control or claim ownership over the area.
Speaking to reporters after a review meeting following his recent visit to the Kotia panchayat, Pujari employed a vivid familial metaphor to underscore Odisha’s position in the decades-old dispute. “Odisha is the mother of Kotia, while Andhra Pradesh should remain like an aunt. An aunt can never become a mother,” he said, drawing applause from locals.
The minister’s remarks come amid heightened efforts by the Odisha government to bolster its administrative and developmental footprint in the region, which has been contested since the 1960s.
Kotia, comprising 21 disputed villages out of 28 in the gram panchayat, has seen both states provide welfare benefits to residents, who often hold dual voter IDs, ration cards, and access schemes from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The matter is pending before the Supreme Court, which in 2006 directed maintenance of status quo, leaving resolution to Parliament.
Pujari assured that Andhra Pradesh’s activities in the area would be curtailed, citing Odisha’s enhanced presence through accelerated infrastructure projects and welfare programmes. He highlighted ongoing initiatives in education, road connectivity, and schemes like the Subhadra Yojana for women’s empowerment, as well as improved ration distribution under the Public Distribution System.
To address security concerns and monitor cross-border movements, the Minister also announced plans for a permanent police outpost in Kotia, aimed at preventing “unwanted interference” by Andhra officials.
Pujari is heading the 16-member committee, which the BJP government formed in May, to define the structure of an umbrella agency which will work to ensure progress in the region while also propagating Odia language, literature, tradition, culture and festivals in the disputed gram panchayat. Infrastructure advancements, such as completed roads to hilltop areas and ongoing connectivity projects, are expected to further integrate the region with Odisha.
