Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust

The Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) is a registered non-profit institution, established in 2002 "to commemorate and take forward the vision of Rajiv Gandhi – India’s former Prime Minister". RGCT aims to implement a people oriented, community driven development program that would have a sustainable impact. The Trust works in close collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, a think tank whose operations are aimed at influencing public policy, governance – local, National and international—and aims at increasing opportunities for the underprivileged and the deprived. The activities currently undertaken by the Trust include women empowerment and eye care .
Initiatives.
Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana.
Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana (RGMVP) is a flagship program of the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT) which "aims to build and strengthen the community institutions of the poor". It is a rights-based initiative that works for poverty reduction, women’s empowerment and rural development in the backward regions of Uttar Pradesh. The main activity of RGMVP includes organising poor rural women into community institutions in the form of Self Help Groups (SHGs) - each consisting of 10-20 women - that act as social platforms to address issues of financial inclusion, healthcare, livelihood, education and environment. The organisation has "the belief that the poor have a strong desire and innate ability to overcome poverty".
RGMVP has been designed by RGCT and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) with technical assistance from the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) for promotion, credit linkage and federation of SHGs in select districts of Uttar Pradesh. The programme has been visited by the Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates and the British ex-Foreign Secretary, David Miliband.
Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital and Research Centre.
Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital and Research Centre (IGEHRC) was established by the Trust (RGCT) in 2006 to address a requirement for quality and affordable eye care and eliminate curable blindness in Northern India and Asia Biggest Eye Hospital . Currently, two hospitals are operating in Uttar Pradesh: a secondary level facility in Amethi, and a tertiary level hospital in Lucknow. IGEHRC aims "to provide timely and affordable world-class eye care to all segments of society". Regular community outreach programmes are organised in rural areas to provide quality eye care and to create eye care awareness among the rural population.
Controversies.
Amethi Rajiv Gandhi Trust land grab scam.
In 1983 Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation had taken 65 acres land from farmers to set up a factory by Emperor Bicycle Company in Kauhar village of Amethi. After company failed to set up the factory, instead of returning the land to farmers as per rule, it was given to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust in violation of rules. The trust was sued. On 26 August 2015, the local court ordered the Rajiv Gandhi Trust to return the land to Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation.
Gurugram Rajiv Gandhi Trust land grab scam.
Between 2004-2014, Government of Haryana, then under the administration of Indian National Congress's Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, had handed over 1,400 acres of panchayat land to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust in the name of public interest use, resulting in this trust being sued by the gram panchayat in Punjab and Haryana High Court against the land grabbing of the Gandhi family by the Hooda government.
Related land grab scams.
Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi family are the trustees of National Herald and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust. Several similar scams of ownership or land grab related to the entities and family members associated with National Herald and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust are either already in court or being investigated by the CBI.