The Maharashtra Assembly passed the Women's Empowerment Bill, hailed as a new chapter by leaders. The session also saw a major uproar over a man's death in an open manhole, with demands for strict action against officials.
Women's Empowerment Bill Hailed in Assembly
Shiv Sena MLC Bachchu Kadu on Friday welcomed the passage of the Women's Empowerment Bill in the Maharashtra Assembly, describing it as being in the national interest and saying it would usher in a new chapter for women. Speaking to ANI, Kadu said the legislation would strengthen women and complement welfare initiatives already being implemented in the state. "The Women's Empowerment Bill is in the national interest. It marks a new chapter and will benefit women, just like other schemes such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana in Maharashtra," he said.
Earlier in the day, 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.
Uproar Over Manhole Death
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)
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