Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Tuesday unanimously passed the ‘Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026’.

The path-breaking legislation aims to grant women farmers independent legal recognition, equal rights, and direct access to all government agricultural schemes. With the passage of this bill, Maharashtra is set to become the first state in the country to accord official legal recognition and status to women farmers.

The bill was passed following an extensive and detailed debate in the Legislative Council spanning 3 hours and 33 minutes, during which members across party lines shared their insights and recommendations.

Speaking on the passage of the bill, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane stated that the decision to grant an independent legal status to women farmers was initially envisioned during a joint meeting organised to mark the International Year of Women Farmers.

He said a woman farmer is not just an assistant to the family but an equal partner in agricultural development. Therefore, getting an independent legal identity, rights, and the benefits of all government schemes is her rightful due, and this is a moment of immense pride for every citizen of Maharashtra.

The legislation was drafted by the Department of Agriculture under the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the leadership of Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar.

Highlighting the bill’s core objective, Bharane noted that, despite millions of rural women working tirelessly shoulder-to-shoulder with men in farming and allied activities for generations, they lacked an independent legal identity. Because many government schemes mandated land ownership as a prerequisite, women who actually performed the gruelling farm work were consistently deprived of these benefits.

He explained that this comprehensive bill has been designed to bridge this gap, offering them dignity, rights, and equal opportunities.

According to the bill, eligible women will be issued a formal ‘Women Farmer Certificate’. This certificate will serve as a single-window enabler to access government agricultural schemes, subsidies, hassle-free bank loans, crop insurance, agricultural extension services, market access, government procurement, and warehousing facilities.

To prevent misuse, the legal benefits are strictly restricted to verified, eligible women who are directly engaged in farming activities. For the first time, millions of women who were previously categorised merely as farm labourers or landless workers will receive independent legal recognition as ‘women farmers’, bolstering their self-esteem and ensuring their active participation in the state’s development, said Bharane.

A dedicated fund will be established by pooling resources from various state and central government schemes. The framework and rules for its deployment towards holistic development will be finalised within the next six months. The benefits will apply to all eligible women farmers residing in rural areas of the state, excluding municipal corporation, municipal council, and nagar panchayat areas.

To ensure robust monitoring and execution of the law, the bill mandates a multi-tier governance structure: a state-level ‘Women Farmers Empowerment Council’ chaired directly by Chief Minister Fadnavis; a State Monitoring Committee headed by the Chief Secretary; and an independent ‘Women Farmers Empowerment Cell’ within the Department of Agriculture.

The newly formed State Women Farmers Fund will actively drive entrepreneurship development, skill training, financial assistance, and welfare initiatives.

Furthermore, a well-coordinated mechanism will be deployed to seamlessly deliver credit, insurance, subsidies, and modern technology directly to beneficiaries, the minister noted.

Concluding his address, Bharane thanked the House members for their innovative suggestions. He emphasised that women have already proven their mettle across education, science, sports, and politics, and that this bill ensures they receive their due rights in agriculture, not just as family members but as independent citizens with equal status.

–IANS

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