Pottangi: After Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has now started granting funds for the development of some disputed territories of Kotia panchayat of this block in Koraput district, a report said.
The Union government has sanctioned Rs 30 lakh in the first phase for construction of six roads that include connecting Phagunasineri-Doliamba, Kotia-Katraguda and Madkar-Kotia.
The block administration, meanwhile, has started laying a road from Madkar to Kotia panchayat headquarters and the project was inaugurated by panchayat samiti chairman Jagatjyoti Pangi.
Besides, the state government has sanctioned Rs 10 crore under Mukhyamantri Sadak Yojana for the renovation of several British-era roads, said district planning committee chairman Prafulla Pangi to the media. While a district-level tender process has already begun and last date for opening of the tender is August 13.
Meanwhile, former MLA Ramchandra Kadam and block Congress president Nrusinghanath Behera raised question whether the government is neglecting the other 13 panchayats by laying more emphasis on the development of Kotia panchayat.
Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are at loggerheads over 21 villages in Kotia panchayat for five decades.
The issue is now in the Supreme Court. As a result, the residents in the panchayat have remained neglected by the administration on all fronts and are deprived of all government benefits.
Eyeing the villages, the Andhra Pradesh government started reaching out to them a few years ago. It started taking up development projects in the panchayat by constructing roads, ensuring power supply, establishing Anganwadis, distributing PDS cards and old age pensions to the villagers. This the state to take up development projects including setting up of schools, construction of road, and facilitation of clean drinking water in the panchayat.
