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**Summary:**

Digvijaya Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, visited Auroville to review development projects amidst controversy over the proposed repurposing of Annapurna Farm land for an IIT-Madras sustainability campus. He received briefings on various initiatives, including the Crown Road project, Matrimandir Lake development, and SAIIER’s educational programs. He also visited the contested Annapurna Farm and met with Auroville officials and stakeholders.

**News Article:**

**MP Reviews Auroville Development Amid Land Use Controversy**

**PUDUCHERRY, August 25, 2025** – Digvijaya Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, visited Auroville on Sunday to review ongoing development projects within the international township. The visit comes amid a heated debate regarding the proposed diversion of land at Annapurna Farm for the construction of a sustainability campus in collaboration with IIT-Madras.

According to an Auroville press release, Singh received detailed briefings from Auroville Foundation Secretary Jayanti S. Ravi and other officials on projects expedited during her tenure. These include the Crown Road connectivity initiative, efforts to restore Matrimandir Lake, and strategies by the Admissions & Terminations Scrutinising Committee (ATSC) to facilitate population growth within Auroville, aiming to reach The Mother’s envisioned goal of 50,000 residents. Progress on educational programs at the Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research (SAIIER) was also assessed.

Singh toured Annapurna Farm, the proposed site for the IIT-Madras campus, where plans have met with resistance from some residents. He also met with key stakeholders, including G. Seetharaman, OSD, Auroville Foundation, members of the Auroville Town Development Council (ATDC), Working Committee members, ATSC members, and representatives from official working groups.

The Matrimandir Lake project was also discussed, with Singh receiving updates on its current status, challenges, and strategic approaches to overcome them. Singh also spent time inside the Matrimandir.

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