Four held for theft of AC units in secretariat

The Commissionerate police on Monday took into custody four persons, including three women, for making off with air conditioning units and copper wires from the high-security Lok Seva Bhawan popularly referred as the sec-

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

A team of youth members from the Kotia Bikash Committee met Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Monday and submitted a detailed memorandum demanding basic facilities for all villages under the Kotia panchayat in Koraput district.

The demands aim at addressing long-standing issues concerning health, education, and livelihood in the border region.

According to Kameswar Gemel, a member of the delegation, the 30-point charter includes opening of anganwadi centres in remote villages like Tala Sembi, Harmandingi, Salapguda, Konadora, Arjuvalasa, Naredivalasa, and Kurudipadar.

The committee also sought a special development package for Kotia under the South Odisha Development Council.

Another member of the team, Laxman Gemeal, emphasized the need to deploy youths working outside the region to serve in Kotia villages and called for training and soft loans to help unemployed youth become self-employed entrepreneurs.

To improve educational access, the committee urged the government to upgrade existing schools and establish higher education institutions in Kotia.