ISSUE 12 | DECEMBER 2019
BIKERS CLUB ® | MAGAZINE | PAGE 38
water conservation, as also
produce crops. A dozen
restaurants earn money for the
foundation from the 3,000 odd
daily visitors.
The Foundation receives
funds from different sources,
including 'donations' paid by
those seeking an
accommodation, but which they
will never own.
However, Auroville was
conceived to be fully self-
sustaining, driven by it's own
economy. The success of this
economy is the key element of
the Auroville experiment.
There are about 150 income-
generating units owned by trusts
set up by the foundation. These
units are meant to generate
enough funds for their own
sustenance and also contribute
(at least a third of their profits) to
the foundation - any remainder
is ploughed back into business
but never goes to individuals.
Maroma, which makes a range of
handicrafts that are sold in
auroville shops across the
country, is one of the larger
commercial units. Auroville
Bakery is another. Then there are
farmlands owned by Auroville
which serve the dual purpose of
research in sustainable
agriculture and
Perhaps the best example of an
auroville commercial unit that is
in complete alignment with the
founding spirit, and also appears
to be doing well, is Auroville
Consulting, which employs 25
professionals. It was co-founded
by Toine van Megan, a
Dutchman who has been living
in the township since the 1970s,
speaks fluent Tamil, is married to
a Tamilian, and was briefly the
CEO of Suzlon Energy. Auroville
Consulting provides advice and
training in wind and solar energy
generation, and sustainable
development. It counts entities
such as Tamil Nadu Energy
Development Agency and Tamil
Nadu Urban Finance and
Infrastructure Development
Corporation among it's clients.
So successful are it's training
programmes that it now intends
to build a 35-Crore Rupee Centre
for Green Practices for training
services. van Megan is himself
active in Indian solar energy
policy development and lives in
a house that is fully solar-
powered.
Another of Auroville's enterprises
is the 'Buddha Garden', a
farmland that is experimenting
with a 'precision irrigation
system' using sensors and
controlled drip-irrigation
(somewhat similar to Bosch's
attempt in Karnataka, only
cheaper). The first crop
(vegetables) cycles saw an 80%
drop in water consumption even
as
some yields doubled.
The economic units contributed
9.6 crore - 46% of the
township's 21-crore income in
2016-17.
However, much still depends on
grants and donations. A 'utility
fund' received donations
totalling 60 crore rupees in
2014-15. Without such
contributions, the township
may not have survived.
"Auroville is in it's 50th year, but
it's economy is still not self-
sustaining," says Manuel
Thomas, a Chennai-based
chartered accountant, who has
co-authored a book on
Auroville's economy. He reckons
most of the units remain 'micro'
in nature. "The main reason is
lack of access to capital. Most
units start on unit-holders'
funds and small borrowings
from friends," he says.
With the handicrafts units
Maroma losing ground due to
falling sales and high overheads,
the future may well depend on
the success of Auroville
Consulting.
The economy is clearly under
strain. "There is increasing
awareness of the need for a
sound economy and there are
internal discussions ongoing to
address this issue," admits
Thomas, while pointing out that
Auroville is still an evolving
entity.
The stressed economy is
probably one of the reasons
why the number of inhabitants
has not grown. Auroville was
conceived to accommodate
50,000 people - 50 years down
the line, there are 2,136 adults
and 690 children.