Odisha forms 16-member committee for integral development of Kotia region

The Odisha government initiated a fresh attempt to resolve the long-standing boundary conflict with Andhra Pradesh over the Kotia region in Koraput district. Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari announced the creation of a high-level 16-member committee tasked with addressing the matter, a notification of the Department issued in this regard on Thursday stated.

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.

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

This move by the Government seeks to bring closure to several years of administrative disputes over Kotia, an area subject to claims by both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

“It was decided in the meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister, Odisha on 22.04.2025 on the issues of Kotia group of villages under Pottangi block of Koraput district to give special attention to Kotia gram panchayat and to frame an administrative mechanism in order to address the issues faced by people,” the notification read.

“The various departments presently providing different services through their agencies independently to the people could come under one umbrella and all schemes implemented by them could be done through a single Agency headed by a special officer from OAS/ORS cadre with independent office for holistic development of Kotia gram panchayat for a lasting solution,” the Revenue Department circular mentioned.

“Besides, there is also a need to propagate/strengthen the Odia language, culture, literature, tradition, festivals in the bordering areas in order to create affiliation under ‘Odia Asmita’ (Odia Pride),” the official communiqué said.

Notably, the Committee will define special agency structure, hierarchical pattern, funding pattern, convergence of various schemes, and comparative analysis of the schemes offered by the bordering state for the integral development of the Kotia gram panchayat.

It will recommend from time to time to the Chief Minister for appropriate orders.