Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill passed unanimously in Assembly: Pankaja Munde
Mumbai, July 3
Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Gopinath Munde welcomed the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly, saying the legislation would empower women farmers by granting them official recognition and access to government welfare schemes.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Munde said the Bill, introduced by the state's Agriculture Minister Datta Bharne, had been unanimously passed by the Assembly.
"Today, through the Maharashtra government, our Agriculture Minister has presented a very good Bill (Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026) in the Legislative Assembly. This is a Bill for the empowerment of women farmers, in which women will receive a certificate recognising them as farmers, and they will also receive the benefits of all the schemes that are available to farmers," she said.
The Maharashtra Environment Minister said the legislation had received unanimous approval in the Assembly.
"This has been unanimously approved in the Legislative Assembly. I welcome this Bill," she added.
Meanwhile, the ongoing monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly also witnessed a massive uproar over the death of a man after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai's Sakinaka area on Thursday.
BJP MLA Ameet Satam raised the issue during the session, demanding immediate suspension and stringent action against the responsible contractors and civic officials.
Taking serious note of the incident, Speaker Rahul Narvekar directed the state government to go beyond mere suspensions. He suggested that an FIR under charges of culpable homicide be registered against those found responsible for the negligence.
The incident has provided fresh ammunition to the Opposition, with Congress MLA Nana Patole launching a scathing attack on the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Earlier, the BMC had suspended four officials, including the Assistant Commissioner of 'L' Ward, pending an inquiry into the tragic death of a man who fell into an open manhole amid heavy rainfall in the Sakinaka area of Andheri East.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Unanimously passed? That's rare these days. But the real test will be implementation. Will these certificates actually reach rural women or get stuck in bureaucratic red tape? Hope the government ensures smooth execution at the ground level.
This is a progressive step. Women in agriculture often do the hardest labor but get no credit. But why won't they also focus on the open manhole issue? People are dying due to civic negligence. Both issues need equal attention. 😡
Good for women empowerment, but I hope it doesn't become just another paper certificate. Also, the Sakinaka manhole tragedy shows how little the government cares about basic safety. Two different worlds in the same state - progressive bill vs deadly infrastructure.
As a farmer's son, I've seen my mother work in the fields all her life without recognition. This bill will change lives for lakhs of women. But the opposition's point about civic issues is valid too - Mumbai's infrastructure is crumbling. Both need addressing urgently.
Pankaja Munde ji is right to welcome this bill. Women farmers are the backbone of our rural economy. But the manhole death is a stark reminder that good legislation must be accompanied by good governance. Otherwise, what's the point? 😞
A Akash W