Koraput: The district administration has prepared a Rs 100-crore action plan to strengthen infrastructure and ensure all-round development of the disputed Kotiya panchayat under Pottangi block.

Officials in the district administration said the plan was prepared based on the need of local villagers and, if approved by the state government, the money would be spent over the next few years.

"We urged all departments concerned to prepare a blueprint for the development of Kotiya. They have submitted a list of the projects required at the panchayat and will submit the report compiled to the state government for necessary action," said Koraput sub-collector Krutibas Rout.

Giving priority to the construction of roads as well as renovation and expansion of the existing ones for speedy development, the rural development department has presented a Rs 81 crore plan for the panchayat. The administration has identified the Kotiya-Madkar, Kartalmaudi-Seemagada, Madkar-Phagun Scenery, Pottangi-Nederivalsa and Kotiya-Talakanti roads, among others, to carry out the project.

The administration has also decided to upgrade the existing educational institutes for Rs 5 crore.

"We will equip the state run-residential schools with all modern facilities and have accordingly prepared a plan," said Rout.

That apart, the administration will undertake a Rs 3.60-crore coffee plantation to strengthen the economy of the tribal communities, while setting aside Rs 3.72 crore for watershed projects to provide irrigation facilities to farmers.

"We have planned to upgrade the existing primary health centre at Kotiya to a 10-bed hospital and post permanent staff members, including doctors. Around Rs 2 crore will be spent on that," said the district sub-collector.

"All the existing government offices at Kotiya will be upgraded and developed. We will also include all residents under the public distribution system as well as provide old-age pension to all eligible beneficiaries," he said.

Rout said the action plan was prepared following the direction of a high-level inter-departmental team that had toured Kotiya on February 9 to take stock of development activities in the disputed panchayat area.

"We will start the work on a war footing once the action plan gets the government's approval," Rout said.