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66TH MEETING OF THE GOVERNING BOARD
DATE : 13 February 2024
TIME : 3.00 PM to 4.30 PM
MODE : Hybrid Mode
Auroville Foundation Auroville
Minutes of the meeting
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AUROVILLE FOUNDATION, AUROVILLE
Minutes of the 66th Governing Board meeting (hybrid mode) held on 13.02.2023 at
Raj Bhavan, Chennai
The following were present in the meeting:
1) Hon’ble Shri R. N. Ravi
Governor of Tamil Nadu Chairperson
2) Hon’ble Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan
Lt. Governor of Puducherry
Member
3) Prof. Goutam Ghosal Member
4) Dr. Nirima Oza Member
5) Prof. R. S. Sarraju Member
6) Shri Aravindan Neelakandan Member
7) Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi Secretary, AVF
8) Dr. G. Seetharaman OSD, AVF
Prof. Nandana G Basappa, Governing Board member did not attend the meeting.
The following Officers of Ministry of Education were present online during the
meeting:
1. Ms. Anusree Raha, Joint Director
2. Ms. Madhu Bala Soni, Under Secretary
3. Shri Sameer Bakshi, SO
4. Shri Naveen, ASO
Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi, Secretary, Auroville Foundation welcomed the Chairperson and the
Members to the 66
th meeting of the Governing Board.
Hon’ble Shri R. N. Ravi, Governor of Tamil Nadu and Chairperson, Governing Board,
Auroville Foundation delivered the opening remarks.
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Then, the Agenda Items were taken up for discussion. The following were the decisions
taken in this meeting:
Item No. 66.01 Confirmation of minutes of the 65th meeting of the
Governing Board held on 12thDecember 2023
The minutes of the 65th Meeting of the Governing Board held on 12th December 2023
were circulated to all the Members. The Ministry has pointed out the omission of the
name of Shri Sanjog Kapoor, JS & FA who attended the meeting online. No other
comments have been received. The Governing Board resolved to confirm the minutes
of the 64th meeting with the correction in the list of attendees as above.
Item No. 66.02 Action taken on important decisions taken by the present
Governing Board
The Governing Board has taken on record the important decisions taken by it since
it took office on 6.10.2021 and the actions taken/present status on the decisions.
Item No. 66.03 Secretary’s Report
The Secretary presented the report on the important activities and achievements since
the last GB meeting. As part of the important activities, the Secretary presented the
action taken by the Foundation to clear the areas of trees and other encroachments on
which roads and other infrastructure facilities are planned as per the Master Plan in the
aftermath of the Supreme Court’s interim order dated 13.12.2023 staying the NGT’s
order dated 28.4.2022. The Board appreciated the action taken in this direction and
advised that the clearance activities be undertaken in one go and not in phases. It advised
to carry out a large scale tree plantation drive. Secretary informed that tree plantation
drive is on the cards with the active involvement of the OSD who is an Indian Forest
Service Officer.
The Board advised that it was time to proceed ahead quickly with the infrastructure
activities so that the city as envisioned by the Mother was realised.
Secretary informed the Board about the meetings held with Community Coordinators
and also about the meetings held with the Residents and three days viz. 7 to 9 Feb 2024
which was attended by around 250 Residents on each day. The Board advised to
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convene such meetings on a monthly basis to apprise Residents of important decisions,
activities which will also counter the misinformation campaign by a few.
She briefed about the Prosperity Scheme under consideration of the Foundation. The
Scheme is being devised with the active involvement of few Aurovilians who are
running big ventures and the Scheme will be beneficial to all Aurovilians.
She informed the Chairperson that four members of the Governing Board viz. Prof.
Goutam Ghosal, Shri Aravindan Neelakandan, Prof. R.S. Sarraju and Dr. Nilima Oza
held day long meetings with the Working Committee, FAMC and ATDC on 12.2.2024
and she thanked them for their active involvement.
The Board noted the other important activities since the last meeting of the GB.
Item No. 66.04 Status of pending court cases
The Board has noted the details of the court cases pending in different courts and
their status.
Item No. 66.05 Auroville Marathon and events scheduled in February
The Board has appreciated the efforts made for the revival of the annual marathon.
It also noted the other important initiatives such as Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat,
Sanskrit Literature Festival, Meeting on the Secret of the Veda, International
Spiritual Summit, Sri Aurobindo Youth Conference – 7 Cities 7 Themes and the
forthcoming events Shakthi Kumbh, Auroville Festival from 21st to 29th Feb 2024.
Item No. 66.06 Auroville Foundation Regulations
The Governing Board has taken on record the Notified the following two
Regulations—
1. The Auroville Foundation (Admission and Termination of Persons in the
Register of Residents) Regulations, 2023
2. The Auroville Foundation (Framework for Selection of Working
Committee) Regulations, 2024
It also noted the status of the following three Regulations pending with the Ministry—
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1. The Auroville Foundation: Trusts, Units and Activities, Regulations,
2024.
2. The Auroville Foundation (Development Control in Green Belt Zone of
Auroville Universal Township) Regulations 2024.
3. The Auroville Foundation (Constitution of Town Development Council)
Regulations 2024.
Item No. 66.07 Creation of 03 posts of DS to facilitate the appointment of
Officers to handle Administration, Accounts, and Security
related matters
The Governing Board has noted the creation of three posts of Deputy Secretary for the
Office of the Secretary, Auroville Foundation.
Item No. 66.08 Setting up of an Integral Medical Institution in the
Auroville Foundation
The Governing Board has noted the progress made in setting up of an Integral
Medical Institution in collaboration with JIPMER and Institute of Teaching and
Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar.
Item No. 66.09 Important decisions taken by the current Working
Committee
Item No. 66.10 Important decisions taken by the current Funds and Assets
Management Committee (FAMC)
Item No. 66.11 Important decisions taken by the current Auroville Town
Development Council
The Secretary informed that an effort has been made by her Office to compile all
important decisions taken by the current Working Committee, Funds and Assets
Management Committee and the Auroville Town Development Council. She
apprised that it would serve as a record for posterity and for accountability. These
Committees have been advised to keep proper records of decisions taken by them
and also to send it to the Secretary’s Office for record purposes. She further added
that as the decisions taken were numerous and considering the time constraint to
discuss them in the Governing Board meeting, she stated that these decisions would
be examined by her Office and will be reported in the next meeting of the Governing