Nandapur: There is no let-up in the expansionism bid on Odisha territory by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh as it has now targeted Nandapur block in Koraput district after Kotia panchayat, a report said Thursday. The matter came to the fore after Andhra officials were seen straying into Golur Raipahad village in Golur panchayat under Nandapur block on the fringe and going all out to woo the villagers through the implementation of developmental works. Observers alleged that Andhra officials are infiltrating Odisha territory due to laxity and neglect of the district administration in the villages situated on the borders. The officials were also found helping villagers get their Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and voter identity cards are done as well as open bank accounts and get their passbooks.
Reportedly, they even wooed the villagers by arranging power connections and drinking water supply to the village and helped at least six families get houses under the Centre-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The beneficiaries were identified as Mushuri Khara, Hantal Suresh, Pangi Raju, Raja Rao Hantal, Enkat Rao Khil, and Khara Subhash in the village. The identified beneficiaries were given the work order and first installment of Rs 40,000 for the construction of their houses under the PMAY scheme, it was learned. The out-of-turn help by Andhra officials impressed the villagers as they were all praised for the latter.
Reports said the identified beneficiaries have also started building their houses after receiving the work order and first installment of Rs 40,000. Meanwhile, around 17 families residing in Raipahad village have alleged that officials of Nandapur block had collected necessary documents from them after assuring to include their names under Awas Yojana. All the villagers are from the same category but the block officials have only enlisted the names of three persons to get houses under the scheme. They alleged that the Odisha government is neglecting them while the neighbouring Andhra government is inviting and including their names under the housing scheme.
Moreover, they have received the first installment of `40,000 which is quite reassuring. This has helped them in starting the construction of their houses. Odisha officials take stock Meanwhile, after the publication of a report in a premier vernacular daily, a team from Nandapur block visited Raipahad village and took stock of the situation. The team comprising BDO Sujit Mishra, tehsildar Narsingh Gadba, additional tehsildar Seemanchal Patra, assistant executive engineer Jhasaketan Behera, GPEO Vedant Majhi, and RWSS engineer Rabindranath Marndi interacted with the villagers and assured them to appraise the district administration and state government about their problems. The villagers also informed that the Andhra officials, engineers, and public representatives are repeatedly coming to their village and luring them with various offerings and provisions. The office of the Koraput Collector in a letter-397/2023, RESS, dated June 27 to the district Collector of Aluri Sitharaman district in Andhra Pradesh asked him to put an end to such illegalities by constructing PMAY houses in the village. The Koraput Collector also urged his counterpart to settle the border dispute by holding a meeting of the officials of two districts. He also informed that the local sub-collector and Nandapur block officials will represent Koraput district on the day when the borders will be demarcated.