Chennai: A planned 55-member trip from Tamil Nadu’s Rural Development Department to Delhi to receive a Central government award has been scaled down to six members, following a directive after the issue was reported.
The Centre presents awards to panchayats that excel in areas such as poverty alleviation, sanitation, child welfare, women’s welfare and water self-sufficiency. For 2025, Coimbatore has been selected for the Best District Panchayat award.
The award ceremony is scheduled to be held tomorrow at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. Initially, 29 officials from the state’s rural development department and 26 district local body representatives were to travel at government expense.
A report published on May 29 drew attention to the size of the delegation and reached the Union rural department’s economic adviser, who directed that only five people should participate in such events.
Following this, the travel list was revised from 55 to six. Coimbatore District Panchayat Special Officer Sangeeth Balwant Waghe will receive the award, accompanied by five others, including two assistant directors from the Coimbatore rural development department.
