Kotia Dispute: Odisha Committed to Protecting Territorial Integrity, CM Majhi Tells Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to protecting the state’s territorial integrity in the long-standing boundary dispute over the Kotia group of villages in Koraput district.

In a letter responding to Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Majhi said the villages had been an integral part of Odisha since the formation of the separate state in 1936. He expressed concern that the issue was being approached from a political standpoint rather than through constructive and legally tenable solutions.

Majhi said the government had constituted a committee headed by the Revenue and Disaster Management Minister to oversee the integrated development of Kotia and adjoining areas. Ministers and senior officials have also been visiting the region to assess local needs and accelerate development.

Emphasising the need for restraint and respect for the judicial process, the Chief Minister said Odisha would defend its territorial interests through appropriate legal and constitutional forums while ensuring the socio-economic development of residents.

He also invited Patnaik to offer constructive suggestions for resolving the dispute, assuring that the government would consider them.