Bhubaneswar: Fourteen districts in Odisha share borders with neighbouring states Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari informed the Odisha Assembly on Thursday.
In a written response to a query by BJD MLA Ramesh Chandra Behera from Daspalla, the Minister listed the bordering districts as Balasore, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.
While Odisha generally does not have major border disputes, Pujari highlighted a long-standing issue with Andhra Pradesh over the Kotia cluster of 21 villages in the Pottangi tehsil of Koraput district. This dispute has persisted since 1968, with Odisha filing a case against Andhra Pradesh in the Supreme Court that same year.
The Supreme Court, in a 2006 order, dismissed the case but directed both states to maintain the status quo until the matter was resolved through negotiations. However, Odisha filed a contempt petition against Andhra Pradesh following a notification to hold local elections in some Kotia villages. The petition, along with a fresh suit filed by Odisha in 2023, is currently sub judice. The Supreme Court has reiterated the directive to maintain the status quo.
Pujari detailed the Odisha government’s development efforts in the Kotia region, where ₹108.53 crore has been invested in infrastructure and welfare initiatives. These include roads to every village, school buildings, residential facilities, Anganwadi centers, Mission Shakti buildings, a 10-bed Community Health Center, police stations, electricity connections, mobile towers, and livelihood programs.
The Minister added that Odia is widely spoken in schools in the Kotia area, and the annual Rath Yatra is celebrated with great enthusiasm.
