Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Rajya Gramin Aajivika Mission (UPSRLM) joined hands with the sugarcane department on Sunday to empower women by increasing their involvement in agriculture, particularly in sugarcane production.The agreement is aimed at connecting women’s self-help groups with sugarcane-based livelihoods, to boost their income and self-reliance. Currently, there are around 2.9 lakh women among the 47.5 lakh sugarcane farmers in the state. Over 57,000 women, organised in 3,000 self-help groups, are already involved in preparing improved sugarcane seedlings, playing a vital role in disseminating new varieties.The initiative, said officials, will expand women’s roles beyond seedling production to include training and support for processing, organic product manufacturing, jaggery production, and other value-added activities. “This will not only strengthen the rural economy but also generate new employment opportunities for women,” said a govt spokesperson.
