Politics · India Bureau
Congress seeks special development board for disputed Kotia region
Odisha's Congress leadership has demanded a dedicated development board for the Kotia area, citing rich mineral deposits and concerns over competitive appeals to tribal populations. The move reflects tensions between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha over the resource-rich border region.
LSN India ·
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee has formally demanded the establishment of a dedicated development board to oversee progress in the Kotia region, as competition intensifies between state governments for influence over the area's mineral-rich territories.
According to party president Bhakta Charan Das, the Andhra Pradesh government has been actively courting the local tribal population in the strategically important zone. Kotia is endowed with significant mineral reserves, including bauxite, manganese, graphite and gold deposits, making it a focal point in the broader inter-state resource competition.
The Congress leader's statement underscores the administrative complexities surrounding border regions where tribal communities have historically faced competing claims and development priorities from neighbouring state governments. The proposed dedicated board would ostensibly ensure coordinated, local-level administration and resource management.
The Kotia dispute remains part of a broader jurisdictional contest in the region, with both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha asserting claims over mineral-rich tracts along their shared border. The Congress demand reflects concerns that tribal interests may be overlooked amid state-level competition for resource access and development control.
No official response from the Andhra Pradesh government was immediately available regarding the Congress proposal for a dedicated development mechanism in the Kotia area.