Koraput: In a significant move aimed at strengthening its outreach, the Odisha government organized a special ‘Jeevan Jibika Samperk Mela’ (livelihood fair) in the strategically sensitive Phatusineri village, located within the disputed Kotia panchayat on the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border.
The event, held with the support of the Pottangi Block Administration and the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) of Koraput, was designed to empower local women with sustainable income-generating skills.
The fair served as a platform to sensitize and train women in diverse agricultural and agro-processing ventures. Officials highlighted promising avenues such as honey cultivation, strawberry farming, and the production of value-added products from ragi (finger millet). The focus was on providing practical knowledge to help communities build resilient and sustainable livelihoods.
The successful management of the programme was a collaborative effort, with officials and staff from various other departments of the block actively participating and extending their support.
This initiative is seen as part of Odisha’s continued efforts to assert its administrative presence and foster development in the Kotia cluster of villages, which has been a long-standing point of contention with the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh.
