Ranchi, Feb 8 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday emphasised the need to focus on integrating new technologies with the traditional agriculture system in a bid to empower farmers in the state.

He highlighted the ongoing efforts to replace traditional canals with pipelines to enhance farming as well as a plan to dig one lakh new wells in rural areas to improve water accessibility.

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“Jharkhand's 80 per cent population lives in rural areas, and they are primarily dependent on agriculture. Farmers are our 'annadata' (food providers). To empower them, we must focus on integrating new technologies with traditional agriculture systems. Work on mega lift irrigation projects is already underway in the state, and a new policy will soon be introduced to ensure availability of resources to farmers in time,” Soren said after inaugurating the three-day Agrotech Kisan Mela at Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) in Ranchi.

He also said that traditional canals are being replaced with pipelines for farming.

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“This has been piloted in Masalia and Deoghar so that farmers can get water to their farmland even in summer. A work plan is also underway to dig one lakh wells in rural areas,” he said.

Soren said the government has set up ‘Kisan Pathshala' in every district of the state in a bid to train farmers about new technologies introduced in farming.

In the coming days, a mega 'Kisan Mela' will be organised so that farmers can learn about new technologies and how to use them.

"Our government is working to ensure the progress of women. The government has launched 'Maiyan Samman Yojana' for women, under which Rs 2,500 is given to them every month. Women can improve their livelihood by using the money received from the scheme in farming and animal husbandry,” he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)