Maharashtra Assembly Passes Bill Granting Legal Recognition To Women Farmers
On Thursday, July 2, 2026, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in Mumbai unanimously passed the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026. The landmark legislation makes Maharashtra the first state in India to grant women legal recognition as independent farmers, allowing them to access government benefits regardless of land ownership.
The Bill was passed following an extensive discussion in the Assembly, with members across party lines offering suggestions and expressing unanimous support. The new law aims to provide women farmers with dignity, legal recognition, and equal opportunities.
According to Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane, millions of women in rural Maharashtra have contributed to farming and allied agricultural activities for decades but were previously denied legal recognition as farmers. Because many government schemes require land ownership as an eligibility criterion, women actively involved in cultivation were historically excluded from these benefits.
Under the new legislation, eligible beneficiaries will be issued a 'Women Farmer Certificate.' This certificate will enable women farmers to access government agricultural schemes, subsidies, crop insurance, concessional bank loans, agricultural extension services, marketing support, government procurement facilities, and warehouse services. The government clarified that these benefits will only be available to eligible women directly engaged in agricultural activities.
The legislation also proposes the establishment of the Maharashtra State Women Farmers Fund. This fund will pool resources from various Central and State government schemes to support the overall development of women farmers. Detailed rules for implementing the fund are expected to be framed within the next six months. The scheme will cover eligible women farmers in rural areas across the state, excluding municipal corporation and municipal council limits.
Additionally, the Bill expands the legal definition of 'farmer' and 'agriculture' to include allied sectors. The definition now covers conventional farming, animal husbandry, dairy farming, poultry, fisheries, beekeeping, sericulture, organic farming, mushroom cultivation, agroforestry, forest produce collection, leased farming, landless cultivators, and agricultural labourers.
This expanded definition aims to provide a legal identity to lakhs of women who were previously recognized only as farm labourers or landless workers, ensuring their participation in the state's agricultural development.
