MoRD Charts Roadmap for Women-Led SHE-MART Rural Ecosystems

21 May 2026 CW Team

Participants included State Mission Directors, chief executive officers of State Rural Livelihoods Missions, NABARD officials, sector experts, development practitioners, financial institutions and ecosystem partners who deliberated on measures to strengthen women-led rural enterprises and market systems. The consultation sought to finalise operational guidelines through ground feedback from States and Union Territories, focusing on institutional architecture, financing, convergence, monitoring, business processes, governance and technology.

The inaugural session was led by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, who delivered a virtual keynote emphasising that DAY-NRLM must prioritise enterprise development and market integration. Officials stated that SHE-MARTs should emerge as community-owned retail and aggregation systems led by women collectives rather than subsidy-driven models. Ministry joint secretaries described the consultation as a working platform for States to examine the draft framework and identify implementation gaps.

State mission representatives highlighted Odisha's experience in building decentralised women-led enterprise ecosystems through Mission Shakti, while technical presentations set out the evolution and strategic vision of SHE-MART and the need to shift from livelihood promotion to enterprise-led rural market systems. Officials also outlined convergence opportunities with VB-GRAM-G for women-centric infrastructure, demand generation and market support.

Panel discussions and five thematic subgroup reviews refined the draft operational framework and design principles, and day two concentrated on human resources, technical design and capacity building with emphasis on professional retail management while retaining women-led governance. The consultation concluded with a commitment to finalise guidelines and support implementation, and with a ministry pledge to create 30 million (mn) Lakhpati Didis by 2029 and assist SRLMs in establishing SHE-MARTs as sustainable rural marketing platforms to enhance income and market access for women-led producer collectives.

"Join industry leaders at RAHSTA Expo, India's premier platform for roads, highways and traffic infrastructure. Register now to explore innovations, network with experts and shape the future of mobility."

The Ministry of Rural Development, through Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission, organised a two-day national consultation on SHE-MARTs in Bhubaneswar on 14 and 15 May 2026, hosted by the Odisha Livelihoods Mission and facilitated by PRADAN as the national support organisation. The meeting aimed to operationalise the Budget Announcement 2026 and to convert policy direction into state-level implementation pathways. Participants included State Mission Directors, chief executive officers of State Rural Livelihoods Missions, NABARD officials, sector experts, development practitioners, financial institutions and ecosystem partners who deliberated on measures to strengthen women-led rural enterprises and market systems. The consultation sought to finalise operational guidelines through ground feedback from States and Union Territories, focusing on institutional architecture, financing, convergence, monitoring, business processes, governance and technology. The inaugural session was led by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, who delivered a virtual keynote emphasising that DAY-NRLM must prioritise enterprise development and market integration. Officials stated that SHE-MARTs should emerge as community-owned retail and aggregation systems led by women collectives rather than subsidy-driven models. Ministry joint secretaries described the consultation as a working platform for States to examine the draft framework and identify implementation gaps. State mission representatives highlighted Odisha's experience in building decentralised women-led enterprise ecosystems through Mission Shakti, while technical presentations set out the evolution and strategic vision of SHE-MART and the need to shift from livelihood promotion to enterprise-led rural market systems. Officials also outlined convergence opportunities with VB-GRAM-G for women-centric infrastructure, demand generation and market support. Panel discussions and five thematic subgroup reviews refined the draft operational framework and design principles, and day two concentrated on human resources, technical design and capacity building with emphasis on professional retail management while retaining women-led governance. The consultation concluded with a commitment to finalise guidelines and support implementation, and with a ministry pledge to create 30 million (mn) Lakhpati Didis by 2029 and assist SRLMs in establishing SHE-MARTs as sustainable rural marketing platforms to enhance income and market access for women-led producer collectives.

Real Estate

07 Jul 2026

Pecan Realty Completes Rs 1.5 Billion Transactions

Pecan Realty has recently completed four institutional transactions worth over Rs 1.5 billion over the past two years, strengthening its position as an execution-led real estate platform. The deals include resolution-led acquisitions, structured finance transactions and capital partnerships across its development portfolio.The transactions covered acquisitions through the National Company Law Tribunal process and helped provide repayment or exits to both private and public sector lenders. The company said the deals demonstrate its ability to resolve complex project situations, work with instit..

Real Estate

07 Jul 2026

SNN Estates Expands North Bengaluru Housing Project

SNN Estates has announced an expansion of its SNN Estates Felicity residential project in North Bengaluru following strong buyer demand, with 75 per cent of the first-phase inventory sold within three days of launch.The developer will add 76 apartments in the new phase, taking the project's estimated revenue potential to around Rs 1,000 crore upon completion of Phase 2.Spread across 6.5 acres in Rachenahalli, near Manyata Tech Park, the project comprises 604 apartments in 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 BHK configurations. The development includes a 50,000-sq-ft clubhouse with amenities such as sports co..

Infrastructure Urban

07 Jul 2026

SCG Drives ASEAN Industrial Transformation Strategy

SCG is strengthening its focus on ASEAN as a key growth region by advancing industrial transformation, enhancing competitiveness and building resilient regional value chains. Thammasak Sethaudom, President and Chief Executive Officer, SCG, highlighted the need for industries to continuously develop capabilities, strengthen resilience and deepen regional cooperation to achieve sustainable long-term growth.SCG views ASEAN as an important growth engine alongside China, supported by favourable demographics, trade connectivity and investment flows. With ASEAN’s GDP projected to grow by around 4.7..