As many as seven districts of Odisha have border disputes with neighbouring States. The districts are Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Nuapada, Koraput, Ganjam and Gajapati.
Informing this in the State Assembly on Friday, Revenue Minister Sudam Marndi said the Odisha Government is in talks with its neighbouring counterparts to resolve the issues. He, however, said it has not come to the notice of Odisha Government that developmental works, including road construction, are carried out at various places in the bordering districts on the instruction of Tehsildars, BDOs and other administrative officials of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
On the other hand, the Odisha Government has ensured various amenities to the people of the bordering districts and making efforts to provide more facilities, he said. He informed that the Kotia area on Koraput district consists of 21 revenue villages on the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border.
The Supreme Court has recorded in its order to both the States passed on March 30, 2006 to maintain status quo.
“A high-level committee has been formed by the Odisha Government for review of its various welfare programmes (in the area). The Andhra Government’s claim of taking steps for development of the bordering areas is false,” the Minister said.