Odisha-Andhra Border Row: Union Minister Calls For Early Resolution

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has expressed grave concern over the panchayat elections conducted by the Andhra Pradesh government in the border villages of Odisha.

At the same time, the senior BJP leader urged the Odisha government to take preemptive measures to resolve the inter-state dispute.

Expressing hope that the Odisha government which has taken legal recourse will be able to resolve the contentious issue, he said it should also give utmost priority to the border villages by implementing welfare schemes.

“It is our responsibility to protect the boundary of our state and ensure that our brothers and sisters living in the border villages avail all the benefits of the welfare schemes of the state government,” Dharmendra said in a Twitter post.

Referring to the panchayat polls conducted by the Andhra Pradesh government in some border villages in Koraput, Ganjam and Gajapati districts, the minister admitted that border disputes have triggered bitterness and hostility between Odisha and its neighbouring states. He urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to seriously take up the matter and do the needful at the earliest before it is too late.