Maharashtra Council Unanimously Passes Bill to Officially Recognise Women as Farmers

The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Tuesday unanimously passed the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, marking a significant step towards recognising women engaged in farming and allied activities as official farmers. The Bill, which was already passed by the Legislative Assembly last week, now awaits the Governor's assent to become law.

Agriculture Minister Dattatraya Bharne introduced the Bill in the Council, highlighting its aim to address a long-standing gap: women who work in agriculture are often not recognised as farmers because agricultural land is typically registered in the name of male family members. This lack of recognition has historically prevented many women from accessing government welfare schemes, subsidies, institutional credit, and other benefits available to farmers.

The legislation provides for the establishment of several bodies to empower women farmers. These include a Women Farmer Empowerment Council, a Women Farmer Empowerment Cell, a State Monitoring Committee, and a Maharashtra State Fund for Women Farmers. Additionally, the Bill mandates the creation of a comprehensive database of women farmers across the state.

Once enacted, the law will ensure that women farmers are eligible for all government schemes and benefits, including crop-related subsidies and institutional loans. The move is expected to significantly improve the economic status of rural women, who constitute a substantial portion of the agricultural workforce in Maharashtra.

The Bill has been praised by various stakeholders as a progressive step towards gender equality in agriculture. It aligns with constitutional values of equality and social justice, ensuring that women's contributions to farming are formally recognised and supported.

With the passage in both houses of the state legislature, the focus now shifts to implementation. The success of the legislation will depend on effective execution of the proposed councils and committees, as well as accurate identification and registration of women farmers.