The Short Read
- The Department of Rural Development has discussed reforms to support 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis.
- The strategy includes enterprise promotion, financial inclusion, capacity building, training, marketing support and handholding for SHG members.
- The Ministry has proposed 700 SHE-MARTs, 1,000 District Fulfilment Centres and Centres of Excellence.
- The review also covered SARAS Mela guidelines, the e-Saras portal, a unified Saras Aajeevika identity and better access to organised markets.
Ministry reviews strategy for 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis
The Ministry of Rural Development has reviewed a set of marketing and livelihood initiatives to support the creation of 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis.
According to a Press Information Bureau release, the strategy includes enhanced livelihood opportunities through enterprise promotion, improved financial inclusion for rural women, capacity building, marketing activities, training and handholding support for Self-Help Group members.
The review meeting was chaired by Rohit Kansal, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Government of India. It assessed progress under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission and its sub-schemes.
The discussions focused on building an integrated marketing ecosystem to help rural women producers move from livelihood generation to ownership of professionally managed, community-owned enterprises with sustained access to organised markets.
The proposals
The Ministry said the proposed measures include establishing 700 SHE-MARTs, 1,000 District Fulfilment Centres, and Centres of Excellence. It also discussed strengthening State-Level Federations to promote SHG-led enterprises.
The proposed SHE-MARTs are expected to be located in high-potential commercial areas, with backward and forward market linkages to support sustainable access for SHG products.
The review also covered community-owned retail systems, digital commerce platforms, flagship retail infrastructure, institutional support mechanisms and operational guidelines for the proposed initiatives.
The Secretary directed the preparation of a comprehensive annual calendar of activities and stressed adherence to timelines. The meeting also discussed an expanded awards framework to recognise SHG members and community institutions. Proposed categories include Best Performing State, Best Women Entrepreneur, Best Digitalisation Initiative, Highest SHG Fund Transfer Achievement and Lakhpati Didi Award.
The Ministry also reviewed non-farm livelihood and marketing initiatives, launched the Producer Group App, and addressed guidelines. The idea is to increase SARAS Melas at the national and state levels, launching the Producer Group App and addressing delays in loan applications submitted through the Jan Samarth Portal.
The review also noted the importance of increasing awareness among bankers about DAY-NRLM credit-linked schemes.
e-Saras Portal
Another area of discussion was a proposed unified national marketing identity for Saras Aajeevika. The initiative aims to consolidate fragmented branding into a single national identity. It also aims to improve product positioning, packaging and visibility for products made by SHG members.
The committee also reviewed the redesigned e-Saras portal. The Ministry said the platform is being transformed from a single-vendor website into a multi-vendor, omni-channel marketplace to expand the digital reach of SHG products.
Plans to reimagine the Saras Gallery at Connaught Place in New Delhi were also discussed. The focus was on improving the customer experience and retail performance.
The Ministry said national hubs for product innovation, design development, packaging enhancement, quality compliance and capacity building were also proposed. These hubs are expected to improve the competitiveness and market readiness of SHG products.
The development adds to the wider policy focus on women’s economic participation. That includes measures discussed in the Union Budget 2026 for women in India, rural women entrepreneurship campaigns and the role of women in Viksit Bharat.
According to the Ministry, States and Union Territories will drive execution. At the same time, the Ministry will provide strategic guidance and support. The initiatives aim to strengthen market access for rural women entrepreneurs. The Ministry also aims to improve the positioning of SHG products in national and global markets.
Editorial Note and Source
This is a Change in Content Bureau article based on the Press Information Bureau release issued by the Ministry of Rural Development on 14 June 2026. The article presents the information in a news format and does not independently verify implementation timelines beyond the official release. (PIB)
