HCLFoundation, UP Government Extend Samuday Partnership to 2031

Lucknow, September 9, 2026: HCLFoundation and the Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, have renewed their partnership for HCLFoundation’s flagship rural development programme, Samuday, extending the collaboration for another five years through 2031.

The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Lucknow on Wednesday. Shri Keshav Prasad Marurya, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Rural Development, Uttar Pradesh; Shrimati Vijay Laxmi Gautam, Minister of State, Rural Development, Uttar Pradesh, along with 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 program. With this MoU, we together aim to usher in similar transformation across other districts of Uttar Pradesh,” said Shri Keshav Prasad Marurya, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Samuday was launched in Uttar Pradesh in 2015 and has expanded from Hardoi district to 579 Gram Panchayats across 13 districts, benefiting more than 3 million people. The programme is also implemented in 95 Gram Panchayats in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, where it has impacted more than 140,000 people.

Under the renewed partnership, the programme will focus on strengthening livelihoods and rural economic opportunities, improving education and healthcare outcomes, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, and advancing water and sanitation initiatives. It will also work on strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions, improving convergence with government schemes and expanding Samuday to additional districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Director, HCLFoundation, said, “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.”

Between 2015 and 2026, Samuday has reached more than 1.99 million individuals through health and nutrition interventions and benefited over 534,000 students through improved learning environments. The programme has also supported more than 113,000 farmers with improved agricultural practices and over 85,000 youth and women through livelihood initiatives.

The programme has additionally created 2,224 kWp of renewable energy infrastructure and supported more than 2,300 households through waste management interventions.