The State Government is eager to expedite development process in Kotia group of villages.
Accordingly, a high level committee under the chairmanship of Member, Board of Revenue CJ Venugopal has been formed to review the progress of different welfare activities undertaken by the State Government in Kotia group of villages in Koraput district.
Apart from Member, Board of Revenue, RDC (Southern Division), Additional DGP (Law and Order), Special Secretary of Revenue Department and Chief Engineer of Rural Works are taken as members of the committee.
It is pertinent to mention here that Odisha has border dispute with Andhra Pradesh since 1968. Andhra Pradesh is claiming 21 villages in Kotia clusters and 12 hamlets in Boramutha of Koraput district as its own.
Raising inter-State border dispute, the Odisha Government filed two cases before the Supreme Court in the year 1968. One of the cases was dismissed in 2006 whereas another was rejected in 2010.
Against such judgments one review petition and another curative petition are pending. Despite the order of status-quo granted by Supreme Court, the Government of Andhra Pradesh is trying to implement its developmental programme in Kotia cluster. The Odisha Government is also giving priority for developmental initiatives of the backward areas.
The high level committee under the chairmanship of Member, Board of Revenue will monitor and review the developmental works in Kotia cluster.
The State Government as well as the district administration of Koraput is giving priority on health, education, connectivity, drinking water, sanitation, housing, electrification programmes in the area.
Law and order and social security are also the focus of the Odisha Government and for such developmental and welfare activities special allocations have been made for the area.
The committee will stress upon inter-departmental co-ordination and successful implementation of different welfare programmes in the area, stated a senior officer.
With senior officers at the helm of monitoring, development process will be expedited and people will reap benefits, said an officer.
