Chennai: G. Palanithurai, a veteran academician and an expert in panchayat raj, has been appointed as an adviser to the Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, and Water Resources, N. Anand. This appointment aims to bolster capacity building in village panchayats and enhance local governance across the state.
The government order, issued earlier this month, specifies that Palanithurai will provide professional advice to Minister Anand concerning panchayat raj and rural development matters. His role will also involve guiding the government in strengthening village panchayats and improving the functioning of elected representatives. Palanithurai, who was formerly associated with the Gandhigram Rural Institute in Dindigul, has been attached to the State Institute of Rural Development for administrative purposes.
As an adviser, Palanithurai is expected to lend his expertise to the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) in refining its policies and delivery systems. His mandate includes augmenting the revenue resources of village panchayats, evolving infrastructure, and improving the delivery of local body services to the public. Officials indicated that he will assist authorities in developing sustainable plans for village panchayats.
Palanithurai, regarded as a significant voice in the field of panchayat raj, has consistently advocated for the strengthening of the local governance mechanism. He has authored numerous books and articles on legislative behaviour, ethnicity, and the Panchayati Raj system, and has been a visiting fellow at McGill University in Canada. He also serves as the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Council for Sustainable Livelihoods and is a member of expert committees constituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu for the training of local body leaders.
For his advisory role, Palanithurai will receive an honorarium of ₹1 lakh per month. The expenditure for this honorarium will be covered by the SIRD’s training corpus fund. The government order has stated that his association with SIRD will be temporary, though it does not specify a tenure.
The appointment comes as the state government continues to focus on strengthening rural infrastructure and local self-governance. Minister N. Anand has been actively involved in reviewing the progress of key irrigation and rural development projects across various regions of Tamil Nadu.
The Chenab Times News Desk