Govt committed to win people’s heart in Kotia: Pujari

Bhubaneswar: Revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari on Friday asserted the govt is committed to winning the hearts of the people in the disputed Kotia region, for which Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have been in a legal tussle over jurisdiction for over six decades.Pujari, who leads a newly formed 16-member committee dedicated to the development of Kotia, chaired the panel's inaugural meeting. "A comprehensive road map for the region's all-round development will be prepared within a month. The govt aims to ensure that the people of Kotia have access to quality education, healthcare and market linkages for local farmers and traders," he said."Some of the decisions taken by the committee can't be made public at this stage. However, people would see its outcome in the days to come," Pujari stated, emphasising that Kotia is an inseparable part of Odisha. He assured that the govt is committed to doing everything necessary to win the people's hearts.The meeting also reviewed steps taken by the previous BJD govt and called for an action taken report on recommendations from a House committee that previously visited Kotia. The minister highlighted the need to review the legal position and pending cases to bring the dispute to a logical conclusion.The committee, formed on May 23, marks a significant step towards addressing the long-standing border dispute. Pujari emphasised the focus on developing the neglected region while promoting ‘Odia Asmita' and resolving the dispute. He acknowledged the complexity of the issue but expressed confidence in finding a lasting solution.The Kotia dispute, dating back to the 1960s, involves 21 of 28 villages with a population of around 5,000. Odisha filed a petition in Supreme Court in 2021 against Andhra Pradesh for violating a 1968 status quo order. The SC previously ruled in 2006 that only Parliament could determine states' territorial jurisdictions.The Pujari-led committee has been tasked with recommending steps for Kotia's development and the structure of an integrated development agency for the area.