Source: PIB
Context
The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), through DAY-NRLM, signed a 3-year (2026–29) Non-Financial MoU with Project Concern International (PCI) India. The partnership aims to strengthen Women-Led Enterprises (WLEs), especially Self-Help Group (SHG) enterprises, by improving their access to government procurement and markets.
Key Features
- Establishment of a National Resource Cell (NRC) within DAY-NRLM with technical support from PCI India.
- Development of:
- Enterprise incubation frameworks
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Capacity-building modules
- Training SHGs on:
- Government e-Marketplace (GeM) onboarding
- Tender participation
- Quality standards and documentation
- Procurement compliance
- Promotes sustainable enterprises through renewable energy and eco-friendly production practices.
Initial Focus States (2026–27)
- Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Why Public Procurement Matters
- Government is India’s largest buyer of goods and services.
- Government contracts provide assured demand, stable income, and market access for SHG enterprises.
- Under the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs, 2012:
- 25% of annual procurement must be from MSEs.
- 3% is reserved for women-owned MSEs.
- 4% is reserved for SC/ST-owned MSEs.
Challenges Faced by SHGs
- Difficulty in meeting documentation and compliance requirements.
- Lack of quality certification and tender awareness.
- Limited working capital and delayed government payments.
- Inability to fulfil large procurement orders individually.
DAY-NRLM & Lakhpati Didi
- DAY-NRLM has mobilised over 10 crore rural women into SHGs.
- Lakhpati Didi aims to create women with an annual household income of ₹1 lakh or more.
- Target increased to 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029–30.
- Budget 2026–27: ₹17,280 crore allocated to DAY-NRLM.
Key Terms
- DAY-NRLM: Flagship rural livelihoods mission that promotes SHGs and women-led enterprises.
- SHG (Self-Help Group): A group of 10–20 women who save, lend, and undertake livelihood activities.
- GeM (Government e-Marketplace): Online government procurement portal that includes the Womaniya initiative for women entrepreneurs.
- Non-Financial MoU: Partnership involving technical support without transfer of funds.
- Enterprise Incubation: Mentoring and support to help new businesses become sustainable.
- Market Linkage: Connecting producers with reliable buyers to ensure regular sales.
- SHE-Mart: Community-owned retail outlets under Lakhpati Didi 2.0 for marketing SHG products.
