My visit to Odanthurai proved to be a lifetime experience, reconfirming my belief in the vision of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Government of India Innovative Rural Housing scheme, the Indira Awas Yojana, and the Scheduled Tribe Housing Scheme were instrumental in financing the hutless village with technical support from the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).
Under the Rural Energy Plan implemented by DRDA, two hamlets are lit with solar energy. The Panchayat has installed a biomass gasifier, run by women self-help groups, to pump out 2.25 lakh litres of water for the entire village every day. What sets this apart is the end-treatment of pumped water to ensure ‘bacteria-free’ potable water for - everyone. Under the Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission, water and biogas plants have been provided to the village.
My trip to Odanthurai indeed was one of learning. This village has worked with a vision and has been able to set an example for the rest of the country. qPankaj Khanna
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G
Odanthurai
has progressively embraced technological developments and combined it
with viable institutional service delivery models. Out of the
I
was indeed surprised at the efficiency at the Panchayat level, where a
strong engagement with the government has provided 100% coverage of
services. The efficient and transparent functioning at the grassroot
level has led to an independent village development corpus. 
Today,
Odanthurai boasts of a mineral water plant worth 25 lakh with a capacity
of 8000 litres per day, run by a federation of women. This project has
given employment opportunity to 80 women, assuring them of a daily wage
of Rs 60.
Odanthurai
is a model village created with government-led infrastructure. This
village also has an unique achievement of having installed a wind
turbine project with SUZlON technology that is selling energy to SEB and
generating a revenue of 40 lakh. The Panchayat President says that it
took a 7 year bank loan for 115 lakh, with the Panchayat contributing an
additional 40 lakh. A village taking such steps forward in the field of
technology is indeed praise worthy.