The Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed the Women Farmers Empowerment Bill 2026 on July 2 2026. It is the first such law in the country that grants women farmer status without requiring land ownership.
The bill recognizes women engaged in agriculture and allied sectors such as fisheries livestock rearing poultry and forest produce collection. They will receive Woman Farmer Certificates to access credit insurance subsidies and markets.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar stated that the measure corrects historic injustice. Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane paid tribute to MS Swaminathan.
Opposition leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Jayant Patil backed the bill. It will now be tabled in the Legislative Council.
