Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for conveying an all party meeting to resolve border dispute with Andhra Pradesh.
He sought personal intervention of the Chief Minister in addressing emerging issues in the border villages in South Odisha, namely Kotia Gram Group of villages in Pottangi Block in Koraput District and Manikapatna in Gangabada GP of Rayagada Block in Gajapati District.
“As you would be aware, administrative outreach by Andhra Pradesh Government in these villages has been reported in the past few days. This illegitimate and unfortunate outreach by Andhra Pradesh Government is now not only confined to Kotia but is also gradually spreading to other villages in South Odisha,” Mr.Pradhan said.
Reportedly, 21 such villages have been included in the newly carved Parvatipuram Manyam district, with changed nomenclature, with its headquarters just 40 km away from various villages of Kotia, he said.
Union Minister said that Andhra Pradesh has been proactively implementing different schemes and developmental activities in these villages luring these residents to be a part of Andhra Pradesh.
He said the State Government needs to be proactive on the ground, thereby bringing the Government and administration closer to the residents of these border villages.
“Being far away from the district headquarter, people may find the Andhra Pradesh administration more accessible. The neighbouring state may use the same to alienate these citizens from Odisha, and thereby sever their age-old socio-cultural umbilical cord with their motherland,” the Union Minister said.
Andhra Pradesh is strategically trying to sway these border villagers by offering ration cards, healthcare, education and other facilities, he observed.
To counter this, Mr.Pradhan said, Odisha should take the local population and organization into confidence and address multiple developmental issues by ensuring people staying in bordering villages are not lured by Andhra Pradesh Government facilities and, expediting the swift implementation of developmental activities of the Odisha Government.
Such administrative face-offs and disputes will not only create a disharmonious environment for the people of these areas but also hinder the development of these villages, he said.
It will also derail the ongoing development process which goes against the socio-political objectives of both States, and sow seeds for anti-establishment sentiments to take root in this region.
Despite his best attempt over the years, these issues have remained the same as earlier, the BJP leader said.
Irrespective of party lines, all political parties agree unanimously on the development and protection of Odia interests in these border villages.
Therefore, he requested the CM to convene an all-party meeting over these issues and review the progress made by the inter-state committee and briefing on developmental activities taken up in border villages.