Kejriwal promises funds to Delhi's villages

In a bid to woo the electorate of rural Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday promised to give special status to villagers and set up 'Gram Vikas Fund' on the lines of MPLAD funds for development of villages if the party is elected to power in the upcoming Assembly elections.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) promised that if voted to power it will give special status to villages and reinvigorate them at its fourth Delhi Dialogue on villages on Sunday.

Party members, in a public meeting held in Ghumanhera village, Najafgarh, said villages will be granted special village development funds. The decisions regarding the development of the village will be taken by the local gram sabha and the special village development fund will also be used accordingly.

“We will re-carve the wards in rural villages to ensure that they will have a distinct identity. Our aim is to recognize our villages and conserve their cultural legacy and heritage,” said national convener, Arvind Kejriwal.

He also promised that the party will bring administrative and land reforms so that regressive and outdated regulations on land sale and usage are scrapped.

The dialogue was focused on the 362 villages in the city, of which 135 are urban and 227 are rural villages.

AAP also promised immunity against land acquisition without the consent of gram sabhas.

“Farmers do not get adequate compensation for acquired land. There are several regressive and outdated laws and regulations, especially regarding land-use and Lal Dora areas. The rural economy and infrastructure is poorly planned, and education and health infrastructure is absent for practical purposes,” said a party statement.