KORAPUT/JEYPORE: The house listing phase of Census-2027 commenced in Kotia gram panchayat of Koraput district on Thursday, marking the beginning of a major administrative exercise in the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border region.
Pottangi tehsildar Debendra Singh Dharua said the exercise began in Kotia with deployment of 18 enumerators and three supervisors. It was carried out under the direction of district collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan. Adequate arrangements have been put in place for timely completion of the door-to-door exercise.
Pottangi block development officer Ramachandra Nayak said enumerators have started visiting households to collect data and assign official house numbers. Senior nodal officers are supervising field activities to ensure transparency and accuracy, while the Pottangi tehsildar is monitoring the process on the ground.
The Census-2027 exercise is considered significant in the sensitive Kotia region. Former Koraput collector and Ama Kotia convenor Gadadhar Parida said proper enumeration could strengthen Odisha’s claim over the 21 villages under the panchayat which Andhra Pradesh has contested in the Supreme Court.
Parida said historical census records indicate a predominantly Odia-speaking tribal population in the area. Systematic enumeration will ensure proper documentation of households under Odisha’s jurisdiction, he added.
Meanwhile, chairperson of Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) Babita Patra conducted a comprehensive review of child development, nutrition and education facilities in Kotia on the day.
During her visit to the panchayat, Patra assessed the implementation of various government schemes aimed at child welfare.
She joined an awareness rally to promote nutritional practices and health consciousness among villagers. She also reviewed the functioning of anganwadi centres in the area, examining infrastructure and the delivery of services to children.