Koraput: The Kotia Rath Yatra, which began in 2002 under the Koraput Jagannath Temple Management Committee, has created history this year. Thousands of devotees from the Kotia cluster of villages, including several prominent ministers and leaders, participated in the Rath Yatra and pulled the chariots.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, School and Mass Education Minister Nityanand Gond, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Gokulanand Mallick, Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka, and several MLAs from the region, including Koraput MLA Raghuram Machha, Kotpad MLA Rupu Bhatra, and others, were among the prominent attendees.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said that the devotees sought blessings from Lord Jagannath for a permanent solution to the Kotia issue and overall development of the region. He emphasised that the Kotia issue is not just a Koraput district issue but a state issue, and a draft is being prepared to resolve it after consulting with local people and leaders of various political parties.
Pujari highlighted the state government’s commitment to developing the border areas of Odisha, including improving education, health services, and tourism infrastructure in Kotia. He mentioned demands for housing for the homeless, a hostel in the model school, and a big Jagannath temple, and assured that these would be considered.
The Rath Yatra saw the participation of several officials, including Koraput District Magistrate V. Kirti Vasan and Koraput SP Rohit Burma, who also pulled the chariot along with Sarpanch Liu Gemel and others.
