Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

1. (a) “agriculture” includes all activities, whether for remuneration or not, related to cultivation of crops, seed production, animal husbandry, poultry, dairy farming, livestock rearing, apiculture, fodder cultivation, bee-keeping, fishing, aquaculture, sericulture, vermiculture, horticulture, floriculture, mushroom cultivation, agro-forestry, use of any land or part thereof for grazing or rab-manure, all types of composting or any other farming activity carried out through self-employment, tenurial cultivation, share cropping, or other types of cultivation including shifting cultivation, collection, use and sale of minor or non-timber forest produce by virtue of ownership rights or usufructuary rights;
2. (b) “Appellate Officer” means an Appellate Officer, appointed by the State Government under sub-section

1. (2) of section 4 of the Act;
   • (c) “Designated Officer” means an officer designated by the State Government under sub-section
2. (1) of section 4 of the Act;
   • (d) “farmer” means, any woman who is a resident of Maharashtra and who, individually or jointly with any other person, is,-
     • (i) engaged in agriculture, irrespective of the nature of the land ;
     • (ii) contributing to any type of innovation, conservation, preservation or propagation of diverse agricultural varieties of seeds, any type of farm animals and fish, cultivation methods for climate resilience, practice of integrated farming system;
     • (iii) adding value to primary produce or raw agricultural and animal produce by engaging in primary processing; and it includes,-
   • (A) an agricultural operational holder, lessee cultivator with an oral or written contract or agreement, landless cultivator, landless livestock rearer, agricultural labourer, plantation labourer, pastoralist;
   • (B) women engaged in agriculture in the State for at least one agricultural season in a year and migrating outside or within the State for any purpose;
   • (e) “Gram Sabha” means,
     • (i) in respect of a Scheduled Area, the Gram Sabha as defined under the rules made under the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and
     • (ii) in respect of any area other than a Scheduled Area, the Gram Sabha as defined in clause
3. (9) of section 3 of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act;
   • (f) “land” means land which is used, or capable of being used, for purposes of agriculture, and includes,-
     • (i) sites of farm buildings on, or appurtenant to, such land;
     • (ii) land on which grass grows naturally;
     • (iii) trees and standing crops on such land;
     • (iv) canals, channels, wells, pipes, reservoirs or other works constructed or maintained on such land for the supply or storage of water for the purpose of agriculture; and
     • (v) drainage-works, embankments, bandharas or any other works appurtenant to such land, or constructed or maintained thereon for the purposes of agriculture; and all structures and permanent fixtures on such land;
   • (g) “Fund” means the Maharashtra State Fund for Women Farmers established under section 11;
   • (h) “Nagar Panchayat” means a Nagar Panchayat constituted under the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965 ;
     • (i) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules under this Act;
   • (j) “primary processing” means converting raw produce or material into forms suitable for consumption or for further processing;
   • (k) “single woman” means a woman who is above the age of 18 years and whose husband has either died or is missing, who has been deserted or judicially separated, a divorced or an unmarried woman;
   • (l) “State Monitoring Committee” means the State monitoring committee constituted under section 13 of the Act;
   • (m) “Village Panchayat” means the Panchayat constituted under the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act;
   • (n) “woman farmer” means any woman who has attained the age of eighteen years or above and who is a farmer;
   • (o) “Women Farmers Assistance Officers” means the Women Farmer Assistance Officer appointed under section 15 of the Act;
   • (p) “Woman Farmer Certificate” means the certificate issued by the Designated Officer to a woman under sections 5 and 6 of the Act;
   • (q) “Women Farmers Empowerment Cell” means the Women Farmers Empowerment Cell established under section 14 of the Act;
   • (r) “Women Farmers Empowerment Council” or “Council” means the Women Farmers Empowerment Council constituted under section 12 of the Act; “Women Farmers Database” means the women farmer database collected, and maintained under section 10 of the Act.