Daijiworld Media Network - Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, Oct 30: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das has demanded the formation of a special development board and a dedicated financial package for the overall development of the Kotia region in Koraput district, amid the continuing territorial dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing mediapersons on Thursday, Das said the welfare measures introduced by the Odisha government were insufficient to address the problems faced by residents of the border region. He called for a dedicated development mechanism to improve basic facilities and counter Andhra Pradesh's growing influence in the area.
“A separate board should be set up and special initiatives launched to thwart the designs of Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Das had visited Kotia on Monday along with Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka and other senior Congress leaders to assess the situation and interact with residents.
Highlighting differences in welfare benefits offered by the two states, Das claimed that elderly beneficiaries in Odisha received a monthly pension of Rs 1,000, compared with Rs 4,000 under a similar scheme in Andhra Pradesh.
He said the disparity highlighted the need for a comparative review of welfare schemes, eligibility conditions and financial assistance to ensure that eligible residents of Kotia received adequate social security benefits. A special development board could examine these issues and recommend measures for the region, he added.
The Congress leader also raised concerns over the presence of checkposts in the border area. During their visit to Upara Sembi village, the delegation found an Andhra Pradesh-run checkpost operational, he said.
According to local residents, Andhra Pradesh police personnel had allegedly been stationed at the checkpost in plainclothes for the past four months. Das further said the party later received information that Odisha had also made a checkpost operational in the area.
He said the developments raised questions about the administrative presence and security arrangements in the sensitive border region.
The Kotia group of villages in Koraput district has remained at the centre of a longstanding territorial dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The issue has resurfaced following Andhra Pradesh's notification of rural elections involving villages in the region, prompting objections from the Odisha government.
Congress has called for stronger administrative measures and focused development initiatives to address residents' concerns and protect their access to essential services.