16-member Kotia panel to hold its first meeting on June 3: Odisha Minister

The first-ever meeting of the committee constituted to resolve the Kotia border issue is scheduled for June 3, as confirmed by Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Friday.

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Dedicated officer to oversee development matters

In his announcement, Minister Pujari emphasised the appointment of a dedicated officer to oversee the integral development matters in Kotia region, highlighting plans to implement both short-term and long-term developmental strategies for the panchayat.

Furthermore, there is an ongoing petition for the re-evaluation of the territorial dispute in the Supreme Court. Residents of Kotia have historically been, and will remain, aligned with Odisha, the Revenue Minister asserted while speaking to mediapersons.

“A high-level committee was constituted under my leadership to resolve the Kotia crisis. The Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department has been appointed as the Member Convenor. The committee has Secretaries from Health, Education, Rural Development (RD), Home, Women and Child Development (W&CD), and several other departments associated with development, as its Members,” the Minister said.

“Kotia issue is not a recent one, and the issue is also complicated and delicate. The issue is associated with Odia Asmita (Odia Pride). Hence, to extensively study and resolve the crisis, to carry out integral development of the region, to prepare a detailed roadmap for development, and to preserve Odia language, literature, culture, and traditions in the region, this committee has been formed,” Revenue Minister Pujari expressed.

This committee, headed by the Revenue Minister himself, includes several senior officials from various line departments of the government.

Prominent members of the committee include the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department (Member Convenor), the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, the Principal Secretary of ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department, and the Secretary of Rural Development.

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Also part of the committee are the Southern Division Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of South Western Range, including the District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Koraput.