Bhubaneswar: As many as 14 districts of Odisha have border disputes with four neighbouring states, informed Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari. 

14 districts of a total of 30 districts in Odisha share borders with Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The districts included Balasore, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj. 

However, except Kotia village clusters in Koraput district, the state does not have major border disputes, the Minister told the House while answering to BJD MLA Ramesh Chandra Behera today. 

Kotia cluster which comprises 21 disputed villages in Pottangi Tehsil has border disputes with Andhra Pradesh since 1968. In this regard, the Odisha Government had registered a case in the Supreme Court against Andhra Pradesh. On March 30, 2006, the apex court while dismissing the case directed both states to maintain the status quo till the dispute was resolved through discussions. 

However, the Odisha government in recent past filed a contempt petition, which is pending in the Supreme Court, after Andhra government issued a notification for conducting elections in a few disputed villages in Kotia. This apart, the state government also filed a new lawsuit in the apex court over Kotia. 

Informing about expenses made for the development of Kotia, he said that the state government has spent a total of Rs 108,53,12,339. 

"Apart from constructing roads, schools, residential schools, anganwadis, mission shakti offices, 10-bed community health centres, bazaar pindis (platforms at the market), police stations in every village, electricity connection has been provided and mobile towers have been installed and arrangements have been made for people for their livelihoods. This apart, students are speaking in Odia in all schools and Ratha Jatra is being celebrated in Kotia every year," Pujari informed the House.