Kolkata, New Delhi, INDIA. New York, USA.
Business To Business, Mumbai, 02nd July, 2026: The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, a first-of-its-kind legislation aimed at recognising women farmers and ensuring their access to government welfare schemes, institutional credit, agricultural services and Women Farmer identity cards.
The proposed law seeks to formally acknowledge the contribution of women in agriculture by establishing a dedicated fund to support women engaged in farming and providing special assistance to single women cultivators.
Introducing the bill, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane said women play a vital role in agricultural activities, from sowing and harvesting to dairy farming and livestock rearing. However, they have largely remained excluded from institutional benefits because agricultural land is typically registered in the names of male family members.
The legislation aims to bridge this gap by creating a framework that enables eligible women farmers to access government support, financial assistance and agricultural services, while strengthening their recognition within the farming sector.