HCLFoundation, which drives the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCLTech in India, has renewed its partnership with the Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, for its flagship rural development programme Samuday for another five years through 2031.
The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Lucknow on Wednesday to extend the partnership. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Rural Development Keshav Prasad Maurya, Minister of State for Rural Development Vijay Laxmi Gautam, senior government officials and other dignitaries attended the event.
“The Uttar Pradesh government is committed to integrated rural development. In partnership with HCLFoundation, the Rural Development Department has done monumental work in Hardoi district over the past 11 years through the Samuday programme. With this MoU, we together aim to usher in similar transformation across other districts of Uttar Pradesh,” said Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya.
From Hardoi to 13 districts
Launched in Uttar Pradesh in 2015, Samuday has evolved into one of India’s largest government-CSR partnerships. The programme has expanded from Hardoi district to 579 Gram Panchayats across 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh, benefiting more than 3 million people.
The programme is also being implemented in 95 Gram Panchayats in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, where it has impacted more than 140,000 people.
Focus on livelihoods and resilience
Under the renewed partnership, Samuday will focus on strengthening livelihoods and rural economic opportunities while improving education and healthcare outcomes.
The programme will also promote climate-resilient agriculture, advance water and sanitation initiatives, strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions and enhance convergence with government schemes.
HCLFoundation and the Uttar Pradesh government will also work towards expanding the programme to additional districts across the state.
Scaling community-led development
“HCLFoundation works closely with communities and government institutions to strengthen rural ecosystems, build local ownership and develop scalable development models that can be replicated across geographies. Over the last decade, Samuday has demonstrated how government, communities and the private sector can work together to create lasting impact at scale. We look forward to deepening this partnership and accelerating rural transformation across Uttar Pradesh,” said HCLFoundation Director Dr Nidhi Pundhir.
The extended partnership signals a greater emphasis on scaling integrated rural development through collaboration between government institutions, communities and the private sector, with the aim of creating sustainable and replicable models of rural transformation.