👩💼 Empowering Women Enterprises: A Strategic Leap
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), under the Ministry of Rural Development, collaborated with PCI India to organize a National Workshop in New Delhi on February 17, 2026. The focus was on scaling Women-Led Enterprises (WLEs) by integrating them into government public procurement systems.
10.05 Cr
Women Mobilised
3%
Target Procurement
₹11 Lakh Cr+
Credit to SHGs
🚀 Key Launches & Initiatives
To support this integration, Secretary (Rural Development) Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh unveiled critical tools for SHGs:
🌐 Microsite Launch
A dedicated digital roadmap to help WLEs establish and operationalize enterprises across India.
📘 Sectoral Playbooks
Three specific guides launched for:
- Housekeeping & Laundry
- Food Processing
- Apparel Enterprises
☕ Coffee Table Book
Documenting successful enterprise journeys and institutional learnings from across states like Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Bihar.
📜 Strategic Vision & Policy Mandate
The workshop emphasized that women's economic empowerment is "strategic investment," not just welfare.
- 🏛️ Policy Mandate: Government policies mandate sourcing 25% of annual procurement from Micro and Small Enterprises, with 3% specifically earmarked for women-led enterprises.
- 🤝 Partnership: PCI India, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, provides technical assistance to DAY-NRLM to improve the competitive readiness of SHGs.
📚 Prelims Quiz Corner
1. Which organization collaborated with DAY-NRLM to organize the workshop on scaling women-led enterprises?
Answer: B
2. What percentage of annual government procurement is earmarked for women-led enterprises under current mandates?
Answer: C
Source Information: PIB Release ID: 2229449 (Feb 18, 2026)
Link to Original Press Release
Ministry of Rural Development
