An action committee demanding district status for Padampur subdivision on Wednesday met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and later told reporters that the CM assured them of fulfilling their demand by December 31, 2023.
The committee members said the discussion with Patnaik was fruitful as he gave them assurance to accord district status to Padampur, presently part of Bargarh district.
They said the agitation regarding the demand would be called off once the ruling BJD mentions about the assurance in its election manifesto for the Padampur by-election scheduled for December 5.
The committee led by Minister Niranjan Pujari met Patnaik at the Naveen Niwas as the demand for district status to Padampur intensified with several organisations staging dharna near Paikamal Chhak in Bargarh.