**Executive Summary**
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), in collaboration with PCI India, organized a National Learning Dissemination Workshop in New Delhi on February 17, 2026, to promote the scaling of Women-Led Enterprises (WLEs) through public procurement. The workshop aimed to strengthen the integration of Self-Help Group (SHG) enterprises into government procurement systems and foster women's economic empowerment. On the occasion, the Secretary of Rural Development launched a microsite and sector-specific playbooks to support WLEs.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Workshop Overview:**
* The workshop brought together SRLMs, Ministries, development partners, CSR leaders, and industry stakeholders.
* The focus was on showcasing successful models of SHG enterprises in public procurement and strengthening institutional pathways for WLEs.
* **Strategic Importance of Women's Economic Empowerment:**
* Women's economic empowerment is a strategic investment in India's growth, resilience, and social stability, not just welfare.
* India's development, as the world's fastest-growing major economy, reflects social transformation powered by women.
* **Public Procurement as a Tool:**
* Public procurement is a powerful lever for transparent and inclusive state purchasing.
* Linking SHG products and services to public procurement is a strategic priority, requiring coordinated efforts across Ministries, States, and partners.
* **Key Initiatives Launched:**
* A dedicated microsite was launched to guide WLEs in establishing and operationalising enterprises.
* Three sector-specific playbooks were unveiled, focusing on housekeeping & laundry, food processing, and apparel enterprises.
* A coffee table book documenting enterprise journeys and institutional learnings was launched.
* **DAY-NRLM Background:**
* DAY-NRLM has mobilized over 10.05 crore rural women into more than 90.90 lakh SHGs since 2011.
* Banks have extended cumulative credit of over Rs. 11,10,945 crore to women SHGs.
* Government policies mandate that 25% of annual procurement be sourced from Micro and Small Enterprises, with 3% earmarked for women-led enterprises.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), Ministries, Development Partners, CSR Leaders, and Industry Stakeholders**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness and understanding of successful SHG models in public procurement.
* **Action Required:** Implement strategies to strengthen institutional pathways for WLEs to participate in government supply chains.
**Women-Led Enterprises (WLEs) and Self-Help Group (SHG) Enterprises**
* **Impact:** Enhanced access to government procurement systems and opportunities for scale and sustainability.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the launched microsite and playbooks to establish and operationalize enterprises and engage with public procurement processes.
Key Entities Referenced
DAY-NRLM: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission, a program of the Ministry of Rural Development focused on poverty reduction through promoting self-employment.
Public Procurement: Government procurement processes and policies for acquiring goods and services, especially regarding women-led enterprises.
PCI India: Partner organization collaborating with DAY-NRLM to strengthen planning, budgeting, capacity building, and competitive readiness of women-led SHG enterprises.
Women-Led Enterprises (WLEs): Businesses and enterprises owned and operated by women, with a focus on their inclusion in public procurement.
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD): The ministry responsible for the DAY-NRLM program and its objectives related to rural development.
Ministry of Rural Development
DAY-NRLM and PCI India Convene National
Workshop on Scaling Women-Led Enterprises
through Public Procurement
Microsite and Sectoral Playbooks Launched to Strengthen
SHG Integration into Government Procurement Systems
Women’s economic empowerment is not welfare-it is a
strategic investment in India’s growth, resilience and social
stability: Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development
Posted On: 18 FEB 2026 11:03AM by PIB Delhi
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD), Government of India, in collaboration with PCI India, organised a National
Learning Dissemination Workshop on “Scaling Women Enterprises through Public Procurement” in New
Delhi on 17th February 2026.
The workshop brought together State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), key Ministries, development
partners, CSR leaders, and industry stakeholders to showcase successful models of Self-Help Group
(SHG) enterprises engaging with public procurement systems. The event focused on strengthening
institutional pathways for Women-Led Enterprises (WLEs) to participate in government supply chains at
scale.Delivering the Special Address, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development,
said that the women’s economic empowerment is not welfare -it is a strategic investment in India’s
growth, resilience and social stability. Speaking on “Advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment under
Viksit Bharat: Policy Direction for WLEs and SHGs,” he underscored that as the world’s fastest-growing
major economy, India’s development reflects deeper social transformation powered by women. He
highlighted public procurement as a powerful lever that enables the State to use its purchasing power
transparently and inclusively, while strengthening quality and accountability through women-led
enterprises.
Shri T.K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, DAY-NRLM, MoRD, emphasized that linking SHG products
and services to public procurement systems is now a strategic priority. He noted that coordinated efforts
across Ministries, States, and partners will be undertaken to ensure systematic integration of SHG
enterprises into procurement processes.
On the occasion, the Secretary, Rural Development launched a dedicated microsite designed to serve as a
roadmap for WLEs in establishing and operationalising enterprises across India. Three sector-specific
playbooks - focusing on housekeeping & laundry, food processing, and apparel enterprises - were also
unveiled, along with a coffee table book documenting enterprise journeys and institutional learnings.
The event was attended by senior officials including Smt. Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary, DAY-NRLM;
Smt. Rajeshwari S.M., Director, DAY-NRLM; Shri Charanjeet Singh, Former Additional Secretary, DAY-
NRLM; and Smt. Neha Giri (IAS), State Mission Director, Rajasthan SRLM. Development partners such
as the World Bank and the Gates Foundation were also represented.
SHG entrepreneurs from Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Bihar shared their experiences of engaging with
public procurement systems, highlighting pathways for scale, quality assurance, and sustainability.The workshop aimed to catalyse collaborative action, accelerate women’s economic empowerment, and
position SHG enterprises as credible suppliers within government procurement ecosystems - contributing
to inclusive and gender-responsive rural development under the Viksit Bharat vision.
Background
Launched in 2011, DAY-NRLM has mobilised over 10.05 crore rural women into more than 90.90 lakh
Self-Help Groups (SHGs), creating one of the world’s largest women-led community institution networks.
Since inception, banks have extended cumulative credit of over Rs. 11,10,945 crore to women SHGs,
significantly enhancing livelihoods, income security, and social empowerment across rural India.
Recognising the transformative potential of public procurement, the workshop will deliberate on
leveraging government purchasing systems to promote Women-Led Enterprises (WLEs). Globally, public
procurement accounts for 13–20% of GDP, presenting significant opportunities for inclusive economic
growth. In India, government policies mandate that 25% of annual procurement be sourced from Micro
and Small Enterprises, with 3% earmarked for women-led enterprises, creating a structured pathway for
SHG enterprises to scale sustainably.
PCI India, supported by the Gates Foundation, provides technical assistance to DAY-NRLM to strengthen
planning, budgeting, capacity building, and competitive readiness of women-led SHG enterprises,
ensuring long-term sustainability and institutional integration into public procurement systems. PCI India
has been working in India since 1998 to transform the lives of communities at scale by solving complex
social issues – partnering with governments, private sectors, and development organizations.
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