Koraput: In another step towards strengthening infrastructure in the disputed Kotia panchayat in Koraput district’s Pottangi block, deputy chief minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a Rs 16-crore power substation aimed at ending the long-standing electricity problem in the border region.Singh Deo said the substation project would be completed within two years. “Once this substation is commissioned, the people of Kotia will be free from power-related difficulties,” he said.At present, at least seven villages in the panchayat are without electricity and have been provided with solar lights by the Odisha govt, while Andhra Pradesh has electrified 12 of the disputed villages located closer to its border.During his one-day visit, the deputy chief minister also reviewed livelihood initiatives in the area. He inspected strawberry cultivation being carried out by women self-help groups at Barabandh village with support from the district administration.Later, he visited Taupadar village, where he interacted with farmer Maliki Pangi and appreciated his fish farming and other agricultural activities. “I am happy to witness the hard work and innovation of farmers here. The produce from this region has the potential to be exported abroad, and I will make every possible effort to ensure that,” Singh Deo said.The minister also distributed agricultural equipment to several farmers to support their livelihoods.Collector (Koraput) Manoj Satyawan Mahajan said promoting livelihood activities in Kotia remains one of the administrations top priorities, as it would provide regular income opportunities and help strengthen the local economy.Officials said the proposed livelihood activities include commercial farming, coffee cultivation, pisciculture, poultry, mushroom and ginger farming, goat rearing and broomstick binding, along with skill development programmes.Both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh lay claim to 21 of 28 villages in Kotia panchayat, with the boundary dispute pending in the Supreme Court since 1968.
