Over 4.35 lakh citizens avail services in six days, but long-term implementation remains the real test
By: Anant Nalawade
Mumbai : Maharashtra’s Revenue Department has reported a significant policy milestone by recording 3,436 women as recognised farmers during the first six days of the ongoing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mahaswva Samadhan Shibir Abhiyan, signalling a gradual shift towards strengthening women’s land rights and agricultural identity.
The statewide campaign, launched by the Revenue Department under the initiative of Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, has also provided revenue services and government scheme benefits to 4,35,209 citizens in its first six days. The campaign will continue across Maharashtra until 2 August.
Women farmers move to the centre of land reforms
Among the campaign’s most significant developments has been the recognition of women as farmers by recording their names in official land records wherever eligible.
According to official figures, the Nagpur Revenue Division accounted for the highest number of women receiving farmer recognition certificates, with 1,219 beneficiaries. At the district level, Gondia led the state with 1,067 women added to land records, followed by Gadchiroli, Bhandara and Chandrapur.
Policy experts have long argued that although women contribute substantially to agriculture, many remain outside formal land ownership records, limiting their access to institutional credit, crop insurance and several government welfare schemes. In that context, the initiative assumes policy significance beyond a routine revenue exercise.
Multiple revenue services under one campaign
Besides recognising women farmers, the campaign has also focused on several long-pending revenue administration issues.
The Revenue Department said it is providing 15 different revenue services through the camps, including:
- Distribution of Swamitva ownership certificates.
- Settlement of farm access road disputes under the Chief Minister Baliraja Farm Road Scheme.
- Updating land records through the “Jivant Satbara” campaign.
- Regularisation of eligible old residential encroachments on government land.
- Assistance to housing scheme beneficiaries.
Officials say the objective is to resolve multiple citizen grievances at a single location instead of requiring repeated visits to government offices.
Road access and land record reforms
One of the campaign’s notable outcomes has been the resolution of farm road disputes.
Official figures show that 2,797 farm roads were cleared in Akola district alone under the Chief Minister Baliraja Farm Road Scheme, while several hundred additional access roads were opened in Gondia, Nagpur, Bhandara and Chandrapur.
Similarly, under the Jivant Satbara initiative, thousands of land record issues were resolved on the spot, with Satara, Buldhana, Amravati, Nagpur and Sangli reporting significant progress.
Governance through field administration
From a governance perspective, the campaign reflects the government’s effort to shift revenue administration from office-based service delivery to field-level implementation.
The department has reported strong participation by elected representatives and local administration, while camps have been organised across Assembly constituencies.
According to Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the objective is to take government services directly to citizens and make revenue administration more transparent, responsive and accessible.
Implementation will determine success
While the figures released by the Revenue Department indicate substantial administrative activity, the long-term success of the campaign will depend on whether these interventions translate into durable improvements in land governance.
Recognition of women as farmers will have greater policy value if it results in easier access to agricultural credit, crop insurance, subsidies and other welfare schemes. Likewise, the settlement of land disputes and updating of revenue records will ultimately be judged by whether they reduce litigation and improve service delivery over time.
For now, the campaign represents one of the state’s largest field-level revenue administration exercises in recent years. Its broader impact, however, will become clearer only after the implementation outcomes are assessed beyond the initial numbers.
Editorial Note
This report is based on official data released by the Maharashtra Revenue Department. The numerical achievements reported are government claims. Their long-term policy impact will depend on independent assessment of implementation and outcomes.
