Maharashtra cabinet clears draft bill to recognise women farmers, widen welfare access

The Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the draft Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill 2026 which seeks to provide legal recognition to women engaged in agriculture regardless of land ownership enabling them to access government welfare schemes institutional credit and other agricultural benefitsThe proposed legislation cleared by the Cabinet on Thursday will be introduced during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra LegislatureThe bill aims to address the longstanding exclusion of women involved in agriculture and allied sectors particularly those who do not own agricultural land but contribute significantly to farming activitiesBill seeks legal recognition for women farmersA key feature of the proposed legislation is the introduction of a women farmer certificate which will serve as an official identity document for eligible beneficiariesThe certificate is intended to enable women farmers to access government welfare schemes subsidies institutional finance agricultural extension services and market supportThe proposed law recognises that many women actively participate in agricultural work despite lacking legal ownership of farmland making them ineligible for several existing government benefitsDefinition of farmer to be expandedThe draft legislation proposes a broader definition of both agriculture and farmer to cover a wider range of occupations connected to the rural economyBesides conventional farming the expanded definition includes allied sectors such as dairy farming fisheries poultry animal husbandry sericulture apiculture and the collection of minor forest produceThe bill also proposes extending recognition to tenant farmers sharecroppers agricultural labourers and seasonal migrant workers engaged in farmingrelated activitiesThe objective is to ensure that women working across various agricultural occupations receive formal recognition and become eligible for government assistanceCertificate process and support mechanismsAccording to the proposal the process for issuing the women farmer certificate will involve gram sabhas in rural areas and urban local bodies in urban regionsApplicants whose requests are rejected will have access to an appeal mechanismThe draft legislation also proposes the creation of a Maharashtra State Women Farmers Fund to support welfare initiatives and the development of a digital database of women farmers integrated with other government databasesOfficials said the database is expected to improve the delivery and monitoring of welfare schemesThreetier framework proposed for implementationTo facilitate implementation the government plans to appoint Women Farmer Support Officers at the district and taluka levels from among existing government officialsThese officers will assist women in obtaining certificates accessing government schemes securing institutional support and adopting improved agricultural practicesThe proposed legislation also envisages a threetier institutional framework comprising a Governing Council a StateLevel Monitoring Committee and a Women Farmers Empowerment Cell to oversee policy implementation and monitor the effectiveness of the programmeBill prepared after stakeholder consultationsThe draft bill was prepared following a series of consultations with agricultural experts legal professionals and stakeholdersThe consultations were held in Pune Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur before the draft was finalised earlier this monthIf enacted the legislation is expected to provide legal recognition to thousands of women engaged in agriculture and allied sectors across Maharashtra expanding their access to government welfare programmes and strengthening their participation in the states agricultural economyWith inputs from PTI