Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday said his government is committed to improve the condition of farmers, and poor people in the state.

Addressing beneficiaries of Kisan Credit Card scheme at an event on the Vinobha Bhave University Campus here, Soren said he attended various programmes organised recently in the state to ensure improvement of living condition of people in rural areas phase-wise from villages to state capital.

"Jharkhand will be the best developed states of the country, if we can achieve it," he said.

Hitting out at the previous BJP government for "lack of development", the chief minister said the ruling dispensation then had claimed to give momentum to development but the picture was just the opposite.

The past governments in the state, mostly ruled by BJP since Jharkhand was formed in 2000, did "everything for the development of rich people, ignoring poor masses, who were languishing for lack of employment".

The rich people have "flourished" while the condition of poor "deteriorated" under the previous regime, he alleged, adding that his government was committed to address people's problems, including that of farmers and poor.

The chief minister distributed Kishan Credit Card among 42,593 people, mostly farmers and poor of North Chotanagpur.

Referring to the prevailing drought-like situation in the state, Soren said his government is determined to overcome the challenge as they successfully did during the global pandemic period.

"When I took over the reigns of Jharkhand in 2019, I found 70 per cent of rural population in the state was totally neglected," CM said.

In an attempt to make tribals self-reliant, the CM said his government had given land to them for growing fruit-bearing trees to improve their economy.

"The government has now decided to allow the farmers and poor to plant fruit bearing trees even on barren and fallow government lands under Harikranti scheme launched in Lohardaga district yesterday. The state government will have no share but the entire benefit will go to farmers when the trees start bearing fruits," Soren said.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated several projects worth Rs 205 crore and also laid foundation of project worth over 146 crore in the seven districts of North Chotanagpur division.