Changes are possible if you have the determination, grit, and empowering behavior to work towards it. It’s due to the changes of R Shanmugam. The man is credited for making, Odanthurai smart village. He has played a prominent role in the development of the town.
If we told you that this smart village in India not only produces electricity for its people but also sells it to the government, you would believe us.
Odanthurai has maintained its decorum and civility for the last decades and has set an ideal example for all other states in India.
Apart from being self-sufficient in electricity, this smart village in Odanthurai is a phenomenon of working together to make the area clean and uncluttered.
Mad4India will cover the story of Odanthurai, a panchayat in Mettupalayam Taluk that has revamped into a smart village or model village in Tamil Nadu.
Odanthurai – Smart village in India
Odanthurai is a village in Mettupalayam Taluk of Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. For years, the local body has worked for the development and welfare of the area.
The man behind this challenge was R Shanmugam, who motivated the steps in making a model village in Tamil Nadu.
The village is best known for becoming self-sufficient in the generation of electricity. It has a windmill with a capacity of 350 kilowatts. In the state, electricity is produced at a rate of 6.75 lakh units per year. It also sells up to two lakh units of electricity to the TNEB – Tamil Nadu Electricity Board – and earns a profit of twenty lakh rupees per year.
Around 850 houses were built and handed over to beneficiaries under the state government’s “Green House” scheme, which is said to be the highest in the state. When R Shanmugam was elected president of the panchayat in Odanthurai in 1996, he oversaw massive development in the community.
For what was once a village made of mud, today, Odanthurai has constructed a home for all people under the scheme “Green House.”
Odanthurai panchayat roughly earns around 11 lakhs in a year from selling electricity. With this money, the panchayat was able to repay the loan of 1.5 crores to the bank. It has taken the loan in 2005-06 to set up the windmill plant in Udumalai.
Furthermore, some residents of Odanthurai were experiencing water supply problems; to address this, the bore-well was cleared, and a request was made to the government to install an overhead water tank in the village. The government contributed 90%, with the community contributing 10%. Water stations and tanks were eventually constructed to ensure the village’s continuous supply of water.
Odanthurai had no schools, so children had to travel to other cities for their education. However, schools with functional facilities were quickly built.
The poverty alleviation scheme was also implemented to help people living in poverty. A microfinance scheme was also introduced to provide loans to needy people.
Odanthurai, the new model village, is an example for other states to follow in terms of self-sufficiency. As a result, the community and state government working together, Odanthurai has been transformed into a modular and premium village.
Apart from having school and good roads, Odanthurai also leads in energy education and self-employment. The village residents also work to keep the panchayat clean and tidy. They live in harmony and have access to all basic amenities.
Odanthurai of Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, a newly overhauled town, is an inspiration for many Indian states to sustain a society like the same. Many prominent people have visited the area to learn about its implementation drive and success story.
Mad4India hopes to see more such villages in India where the area is developed, and people have access to basic indulgences.
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