Pune, September 2026 : The Maharashtra government has launched a dedicated online portal for women farmers, aimed at providing them with official recognition and enabling easier access to agricultural schemes, loans and other benefits on par with male farmers.
Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne inaugurated the ‘Mahila Shetkari Portal’ online from Bharanewadi. The initiative has been introduced under the Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Act, 2026, as part of the state government’s efforts to strengthen the economic and social position of women engaged in agriculture.
The portal will provide women farmers with a separate official identity and facilitate their access to a range of government programmes. Beneficiaries will be able to avail themselves of agricultural loans, crop insurance, subsidies and modern farming equipment through the recognition provided under the initiative.
A key feature of the portal will be the issuance of official women farmer certificates. It will also help the government develop an authenticated database of women farmers across Maharashtra, enabling better implementation and monitoring of schemes aimed at them.
Women above the age of 18 will be eligible to apply for recognition as women farmers. Applicants must have experience of carrying out farming or allied agricultural activities in Maharashtra for at least one season during the year.
The eligibility criteria cover a wide range of agricultural arrangements. Women cultivating land owned by them can apply, as can those engaged in farming through contract or sharecropping arrangements.
The initiative also includes women involved in allied agricultural activities. This includes animal husbandry, dairy farming, horticulture and agro-processing, among other related activities.
Eligible women can submit their applications online through the official Mahila Shetkari Portal at mahakrishi.mahaitgov.in/mahila-shetkari-service.
Applicants will be required to provide their Aadhaar number and name as recorded on the Aadhaar card, along with their mobile phone number and details of their district, taluka and village.
They will also have to select the relevant category corresponding to their farming or allied agricultural activity. After entering and checking all the required information, applicants can submit their forms online.
The application will subsequently be forwarded for verification at the local level. It will be placed before the Gram Sabha or Nagar Panchayat meeting, depending on the applicant’s location, for scrutiny and approval.
Following verification, the concerned local body will pass an official resolution approving the application.
Once the application receives approval from the Gram Sabha, the woman farmer will be issued an official certificate within 15 days.
The Maharashtra government expects the dedicated portal and certification process to create a formal mechanism for identifying women engaged in agriculture and connecting them directly with government support. The initiative is also intended to improve their access to institutional credit, insurance, subsidies and agricultural technology.
By establishing a separate identity and database for women farmers, the state aims to ensure that women engaged in both farming and allied activities are formally recognised as beneficiaries of agricultural development programmes.
