Published: March 2025 (8 months ago) in issue Nº 428
Keywords: Right to Information (RTI) Act, Ministry of Education, Governing Board, Auroville Foundation Office (AVFO), Auroville Maintenance unit, Financial Services, Zoho, Institute for Integral Medical Education, Allopathic medicine, Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research), Auroville Foundation, Secretary of the Auroville Foundation, Town planning, Visas, Farms, Administration, Accounts, Auroville Foundation Act, 1988, Court cases, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG), University of Ladakh, Funds and Assets Management Committee (FAMC), Social media, ABC Techno Labs India Private Limited, Environmental clearance, Chartered accountants, Trusts, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Units, Auroville Physical Education Body (AVPEB), Gokulam beach community, Samarpan beach community, Rainbow beach community, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Tamil Heritage Centre, Town Hall, New Delhi, Liaison Office and Master Plan (Perspective 2025)
Minutes of the 67th Governing Board meeting
Major considerations and decisions of the Board as reported in these minutes, none of which have been shared with the Auroville residents, are:
(1) Auroville Maintenance. The Board noted that Auroville Maintenance, a unit that manages approximately 4,000 accounts of Aurovilians and 2,000 of various business units, has not been licensed by the Reserve Bank of India. The Governing Board decided to have the banking transactions of Financial Services be carried out by any Nationalised Bank or Private Bank which is regulated by the RBI and that the computerisation thereof could be integrated by the ZOHO ERP Solution which is being offered now for all the Units and Activities of Auroville.
(2) to set up an Institute for Medical Education synthesising the Indian system of medicine with allopathy system by collaborating with Institutes of National Importance such as ITRA and JIPMER respectively.
(3) to approve the organogram of the Auroville Foundation as designed by the Secretary, “to channelize and streamline the entire procedures in Auroville for planning, documentation and integration of data, accounting, procurement, VISA, farms and administration to function in a more organized manner.”
(4) to amend certain provisions in the Auroville Foundation Act 1988 and the Auroville Foundation Rules 1997 for the betterment of Auroville, as “in the recent court cases filed by the residents, the Foundation faced a pattern of misinterpretations of certain sections of the Act 1988 and the Rules 1997”. The Board noted that the Additional Solicitor General of India has given his opinion on amendments to certain sections of the Act and Rules to remove ambiguity in the statutory provisions to facilitate a strong administration in Auroville. The Board suggested circulating the recommendations of the amendments proposed in the Auroville Foundation Act 1988 and Rules to all the Board members.
(5) regarding the Memoranda of Understanding signed by the Auroville Foundation with (a) USAID and (b) the Research Triangle Institute Global India Private Limited for South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) Program for enhancing Auroville holistically, the Board advised the Auroville Foundation to exercise all checks and balances while dealing with USAID so that the interests of the Foundation are not compromised at any stage and that the Auroville Foundation shall have exclusive rights to copyright the partnership programme outcome.
(6) The Board noted the plans of the Auroville Foundation to sign generic MoUs with government institutions and private firms such as the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, BISAG and the University of Ladakh for various purposes, including the automation of land records, etc., in consultation with FAMC with proviso to identify and discuss the preamble and focused area later in detail.
(7) Social Media policy. The Board noted that, as social media has seen exponential growth both in terms of scale as well as diversity, and as there is renewed interest from local and international media for Auroville, it has become imperative for the Foundation to keep pace with the ever-increasing need to communicate the reality, progress made on development of the city and its initiatives with the Residents and other stakeholders. New trends in the media and ever-evolving media platforms also call for improved responses from the AVF for effective communication and outreach. In light of the above, a fresh and proactive media policy is required and the Board directed to submit the Auroville media policy for further approval.
(8) Environmental clearance. The Board approved payment to M/s ABC Techno Labs India Private Limited, Chennai for the submission of the phase I report regarding the procedures and steps that are necessary to get the Environmental Clearance for Auroville Township plan.
(9) New Chartered accountant. Considering that the Auroville Foundation has about 700 units grouped under 37 Trusts and having 42 GST numbers, the accounts of which are handled by five Auroville in-house accounting units that are managed by Aurovilians who are not professionally qualified, and who have not been in a position to submit the accounts in time to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and who are also not competent to file all required statutory returns, the Board approved the appointment of Chartered Accountants M/s. MSK Prasanna & Co for accounting and allied services with effect from the Financial Year 2024-25, and it directed the AVF Secretariat to submit the Annual Report on-time for its placement before the Parliament and the Parliamentary Committee(s).
(10) Auroville Physical Education Board. The Board approved the Establishment of the Auroville Physical Education Board (AVPEB) to revitalise the physical education programme and related activities in sports and fitness in Auroville. “AVPEB is anchored in the aspiration to create a premier body of facilities, systems and personnel addressing the needs, education, research and integral development of the human body drawing information from latest scientific findings and inspiration from the works of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo and aligning its working with the aims and ideals of Auroville.” The Board gave in principle approval for the approximate budget of Rs 2 crore and directed to submit a detailed plan.
(11) Beach land protection. Auroville Foundation has owned an extent of 2.68.00 hectares in Kottakuppam near the beach known as Gokulam. However, about half of the land has disappeared due to sea-erosion. There are two Auroville guest houses adjacent to Gokulam, namely Samarpan and Rainbow, which are not in proper use and prone to misuse by unwanted elements as they are located on the beach. The Board approved to fence the Gokulam land and to build a compound consolidating the three Auroville plots, Samarpan, Gokulam and Rainbow to protect the land of Auroville.
(12) Building and infrastructure
(a) Electrical infrastructure. The Board approved the preliminary estimates submitted by the CPWD for the construction of electrical infrastructure for Auroville in accordance with the Auroville Universal Township Master Plan
(b) Town Hall lift. The Board approved the preliminary estimate submitted by the CPWD for the construction of a 16-person lift in the Town Hall for the benefit of elderly Aurovilians and of physically challenged people.
(c) Tamil Heritage Centre. The Board approved the preliminary estimate submitted by the CPWD of Rs 48,083,000 [approximatey US $555,000] for the renovation of the Tamil Heritage Center (THC) which was built in the year 2008. The roof has to be replaced as during winter heavy rain water flows onto the ground floor. In addition, a virtual museum is planned on the first floor of the THC at the cost of Rs. 10 crore sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, New Delhi. The entire building will be covered with sheets along with air-conditioning and lift facility.
(d) New Town Hall. The Board noted that with the envisioned growth of Auroville’s population, the existing administrative building will not be sufficient to host the needs of the city and a new town hall will need to be built on the north-south axis of the Matrimandir. It will be one of the most prominent public buildings in Auroville. The Board approved the revised preliminary estimate of the CPWD of Rs 777,032,000 [approx. US $9 million]
(13) Liaison office in New Delhi. The Board noted the proposal to establish a Liaison Office of Auroville Foundation in New Delhi to act as an Auroville Information Centre, and to receive dignitaries and officials from various Ministries and Embassies. The Board directed to prepare a detailed estimate for the establishment of the Liaison Office.
(14) Land consolidation. The Board asserted to look for out of the box solutions to enable the consolidation of land for the development of the city at large. The Board said this was imperative and emphasized and reiterated its commitment and priority to consolidate land for the development of the city in comparison to keeping the land parcels held by Auroville outside the city limits. A presentation as to how lands are valued and exchanges are approved was given to the Board members, along with statistical information on the land exchanges undertaken so far, including Auro-Orchard.