Odisha Has Border Dispute With Neighbouring States In 7 Districts: Minister

Bhubaneswar: Odisha has border dispute in seven districts with neighboring states, said Revenue Minister Sudam Marndi in the Assembly.

Making a statement in the House on Friday in the wake of the controversy over panchayat elections conducted by Andhra Pradesh government in Kotia of Koraput, the minister said Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Nuapada, Koraput, Ganjam and Gajapati districts have border disputes.

Countering the claims of Andhra government that it was carrying out development works in Kotia, Marndi said no such projects including road construction in the bordering districts by Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal have come to the notice of Odisha government.

Stating that the government is in talks with its neighbours to resolve the border dispute, he said the Supreme Court had in its order issued on March 30, 2006 directed both Andhra and Odisha to maintain status quo.

However, the Odisha government has executed several projects in the bordering districts for the welfare of the people, he added.