Congress demands dedicated development board for Kotia

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Thursday (October 29, 2026) demanded the establishment of a Special Development Board for expediting implementation of welfare programmes in Kotia group of villages in Koraput district.

The dispute over Kotia group of villages blew up after Andhra Pradesh announced to hold local polls there. Both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have been claiming Koita to be their jurisdiction.

“The State government must immediately establish a dedicated development board for the overall development of Kotia and announce a special package. The government must also deploy adequate Odisha police personnel in sensitive border villages and reinforce the government’s administrative presence,” OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das said addressing a press conference here.