Mumbai, June 12: The Maharashtra government will introduce the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026 during the upcoming Monsoon Session of the state legislature to provide women engaged in agriculture with legal recognition as independent farmers, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Friday.
Objective of the bill
Chairing a meeting at his official residence, Varsha, Fadnavis said the proposed legislation aims to safeguard the rights of women farmers and promote their social and economic empowerment through a comprehensive policy framework.
The Chief Minister noted that women account for more than 81 per cent of the workforce in Maharashtra’s agricultural sector. However, many government schemes remain inaccessible to them because eligibility is often linked to land ownership, which is predominantly held by men. As a result, a large number of women involved in farming and allied activities are excluded from welfare benefits and institutional support.
Provisions and coverage
Fadnavis said the bill would grant statutory recognition to women as farmers and ensure their access to credit, technology, markets and government services.
The proposed legislation will also cover women engaged in allied agricultural activities such as animal husbandry, dairy farming, poultry, beekeeping, fisheries, sericulture, horticulture, floriculture, mushroom cultivation, agroforestry and forest produce collection.
The government is also considering the inclusion of landless farmers, tenant cultivators, farm labourers, pastoral workers and migrant agricultural workers under the ambit of the legislation.
A dedicated digital database of women farmers is proposed to facilitate access to loans, subsidies, crop insurance, seeds, fertilisers, extension services, storage, transportation and social security schemes.
Implementation and monitoring
Fadnavis further directed officials to study the establishment of a separate Maharashtra State Women Farmers Fund to support empowerment initiatives.
He also suggested creating a robust implementation mechanism at the state, district, taluka and village levels, along with a state-level monitoring committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
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The Chief Minister said the bill would provide millions of women farmers in Maharashtra with a distinct identity, legal rights and greater opportunities, while setting a new benchmark for gender equality in the agricultural sector.
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