The Cauveri Development Office of Tiruchy Province-INT, organized an exposure visit along with its WELEAD project members and CSO representatives, on 09th October 2026, to Oodanthurai, Village Panchayat, which received, the Uthamar Gandhi Panchayat Award for 2006–07, the National Panchayat Award in 2016, under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India. There were 46 representatives, inclusive of the elected women representatives from each panchayat, CSO chair persons and WELEAD staff of CAUVERI PDO. The visit was formally organized, by getting prior permission from the AD panchayat, BDO and Panchayat Secretary.
The project site visited included.
• Gandhi Nagar SSA Panchayat Union Primary School,
• Pucca houses built for the land less dalit communities. These 850 houses were built between 1996 to 2016, Through the “Pudhu Vaazhvu thittam & the Chief Minister’s Solar Powered Green House Scheme
• A water filtering station, a 13-km pipeline, and overhead tanks which was constructed in 1999, through the National rural drinking water programme.
Other Achievements of the panchayat
• The Odanthurai panchayat purchased one acre land in a wind farm, to utilize it for installation of 1 windmill (350 KW) for Power generation at Maivai near Udumalai. The Panchayat used its savings of ₹40 lakhs and borrowed₹ 1.15
croresfrom Central Bank of India in2005. The project was implemented under the Remunerative Enterprises Scheme.
• Odanthurai is self-sufficient in electricity and every year, the panchayat sells additional power generated from the windmill to the state electricity board, and earns a revenue of Rs 19 lakh.
• No liquor-shops in the entire panchayat.
• No open defication, severe penalities were laid for those who violate the panchayat decision
➢The team had a meeting with the Panchayat Secretary, Ms. Nesamani, she explained that the panchayat has a good system of regular tax payment and good cooperation from the public. While enquiring about the strategy for the success, she stated that convincing people and explaining to them patiently the benefit and positive outcome of each project, brings positive results and better cooperation.
➢The INT WELEAD team had the great opportunity to meet Mr. Shanmugam, the Former Panchayat President and Visionary Leader Behind Odanthurai’s Success. The panchayat received the Uthamar Gandhi Panchayat Award for 2006–07andcash award of5 lakhsduringhis tenure.In 2018,Mr. Shanmugam wasinvited toaddress students atthe Universityof Toronto, Canada, aboutthe Odanthurai model of village development. Mr. Shanmugam said, “If we can implement government schemes in an appropriate manner, we can bring development in rural areas and make each village self-sufficient.” He also explained that each project was implemented through the decisions made in the gram sabha.
➢Through this programme, the WELEAD women representatives, learned that the development initiatives of Odanthurai Panchayat were implemented through a combination of Government schemes, Panchayat own-source revenue, bank finance and convergence with different departments. The experience demonstrated how effective local leadership, can strengthen Panchayat-level development and financial sustainability.