AAP to hold convention on 'agrarian distress' on Saturday, to put pressure on Centre

New Delhi: The AAP will escalate its attack against the Centre on the issue of “agrarian distress” during a day-long farmers convention on Saturday, an event also aimed at expanding the party’s rural base. [caption id=“attachment_3408842” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. AFP[/caption] AAP Delhi convenor Gopal Rai said representatives of farmers’ organisations from 17 states will be a part of the event during which a number of resolutions will be moved, including a demand for the Centre to release a “white paper” on the issue. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to address the gathering at central Delhi’s Constitution Club here, where the AAP will also demand a special session of Parliament to discuss the recent volatile protests by farmers in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Rai also announced that the AAP government has decided to set aside Rs 2 crore for every village, rural as well as urban, in Delhi, and a “development board” will monitor activities undertaken through this fund. “The Delhi government has decided that all villages will be given Rs 2 crore per year. A special fund of Rs 600 crore has been set aside for this purpose. A village development fund will monitor the activities undertaken through this fund,” Rai told reporters. However, there is no clarity as to when the scheme will be rolled out or what the role of the existing rural development units will be. These units aim to create infrastructural facilities in rural areas including the construction of link roads, approach roads, parks, minor drains and to provide basic facilities to the people of rural villages etc.