High-level Parliamentary Standing Committee visits Auroville

A high-level delegation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (2025-26), visited Auroville on Monday to gain a first-hand understanding of the ongoing development projects in the universal township.

A press note said the visit by the delegation, comprising 20 Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha from parties such as the BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, TDP, RJD, J&K National Conference, got to witness “the seamless integration of India’s spiritual heritage with visionary urban development”.

After visiting the Matrimandir, Auroville’s spiritual core where the members of the Parliamentary Committee participated in a session of silent meditation in the Inner Chamber, they were provided a developmental briefing at Unity Pavilion, the press note said.

In addition to officials from the Government of Puducherry, members of the Auroville Working Committee (Wcom), the Auroville Town Development Council (ATDC) and senior officials from Indian Bank, participated in the session.

Jayanti S. Ravi, Secretary, Auroville Foundation and Additional Chief Secretary, Gujarat, joined the session via video conference to provide a comprehensive briefing on the Auroville eco-system and its current trajectory.

The key areas of Ms. Ravi’s presentation, included the broad outline of the Master Plan and the visionary city layout designed by French architect Roger Anger, which aims to house a diverse population of 50,000 residents living in a sustainable, international township.

The Parliamentary Committee was also briefed on the accelerated infrastructure growth over the last four years, specifically the development of the “Crown Road” and essential “ground roads” that form the city’s skeleton. The delegation also discussed Auroville’s multicultural fabric.

Rambhai Mokariya and Haribhai Patel, who led the delegation, commended the efforts to preserve the spiritual research of Sri Aurobindo — particularly his work “The Secret of the Veda” — while building a modern, sustainable “City of the Future.”

The delegation also consisted of Malvika Devi, Bharat Singh Kushwah, Ashok Kumar Rawat, Vivek Kumar Sahu, Sumitra Balmik, Baburam Nishad (BJP); Manoj Kumar and Rajmohan Unnithan (Congress); Neeraj Maurya (Samajwadi Party); Prakash Chik Baraik (Trinamool Congress); Sunil Kumar (Janata Dal-United); Faiyaz Ahmad (RJD); Bastipati Nagaraju Panchalingala (TDP); Chodry Mohammad (J&K National Conference); Indra Hang Subba (Sikkim Krantikari Morcha) and Bajrang Manohar Sonwane (Nationalist Congress Party – Sharad Pawar).