Bhubaneswar, Jun 6 (PTI) Senior Odisha minister Suresh Pujari on Friday asked officials to prepare a roadmap for the overall development of the disputed Kotia region within one month.

Twenty-one of the 28 villages of the Kotia cluster are claimed by both Odisha and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, and a case over the dispute has been pending with the Supreme Court since 1968.

Pujari, the revenue and disaster management minister, affirmed that the Kotia cluster of villages in Koraput district is an integral part of Odisha and the state government would revive the legal fight in the apex court.

The opposition BJD, however, attacked the BJP, claiming that the previous BJD administration invested Rs 160 crore to develop various infrastructure in Kotia, but the saffron party did nothing there despite having “triple engine government” at the Centre and in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh where its ally TDP is in power.

During the day, the minister held the first meeting of the 16-member high-level committee, especially constituted by the state government to ensure proper development of Kotia area.

“The Kotia dispute is more than 100 years old, it has been there since British Rule. We are seriously taking up the case and ensuring development of the people and winning their confidence,” he said.

“We are also in consultation with prominent lawyers to revive an old case in the Supreme Court. We lost ground in the past due to poor representation in the courts and lack of proper documentation,” Pujari said.

Due to the ongoing dispute, residents of Kotia get the best of both worlds since they have Aadhaar and ration cards issued by both states and receive the benefits of schemes announced by the two governments. They also vote in both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

The minister also directed departments such as health, education, rural development, irrigation and panchayati raj to submit their respective action plans to prepare a roadmap within a month.

He also told the secretaries to focus on the economic, social, and cultural development of the area while making action plans.

They were also told to discuss with the Koraput district collector and prepare comprehensive plans for infrastructure development, market access for farmers, and employment opportunities for the youth of Kotia.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had constituted a high-level committee on Kotia to ensure integrated development of the area, covering infrastructure, economic upliftment, social welfare, and cultural enrichment.

The opposition BJD, however, attacked the state’s BJP government for allegedly remaining silent on the Kotia issue even as the Mohan Charan Majhi government is to complete one year in office on June 12.

“The BJP government at the high-level meeting on Friday did not discuss the border issue with Andhra Pradesh which is the main issue.

“There is no point in talking about development as the previous BJD government under Naveen Patnaik government has already pumped in more than Rs 160 crore in the Kotia area. There are good roads, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure in Kotia area,” said BJD leader and former MP Pradeep Majhi.

BJD spokesperson Lelin Mohanty also came down heavily on Pujari, alleging that the state government did nothing even though there is “triple engine government” now.

“The BJP has government in Odisha and Delhi while AP is ruled by an NDA partner. Therefore, the issue should have been resolved easily. But the state government is not concerned for Kotia,” Mohanty said.

Mohanty also rejected Pujari’s allegation that the previous government neglected the case in the Supreme Court for which Odisha got a setback on Kotia issue.

“The minister’s statement that Odisha’s demand on Kotia could not stand in the Supreme Court due to the lack of documentation is unacceptable. Pujari is a lawyer himself. Would he admit that the hundreds of cases lost by the state government in the last one year were due to the BJP government’s managerial lapses?” he said. PTI AAM NN