Lakshmipur : Jayaram Pangi, Chairman of the Dandakaranya Hill Development Council and a senior tribal leader and former minister, has demanded the formation of a separate state from the undivided Koraput district.
He has proposed that Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, and Gajapati districts of Odisha, along with Parvathipuram and Paderu districts of Andhra Pradesh, be merged to form a new, independent state. He also appealed for public opinion and cooperation from the people of these regions to support this initiative.
Jayaram Pangi argued that the population and geographical conditions of these districts justify the formation of a separate state. He said that if the people’s opinions are taken into account and the new state is formed, longstanding boundary disputes such as the Andhra-Odisha border issue, especially in Kotia, could be permanently resolved.
He emphasized that such a step would not only settle the interstate conflicts but also bring focused development to tribal-dominated regions, underlining the necessity of creating a separate state for the overall welfare of the area.