In a major effort to promote growing economic prosperity for women in the Budget of the Union 2026 includes a new initiative to assist rural women to move from doing small, low-income jobs to being entrepreneurs and scaling their businesses. During her Budget speech, Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s Finance Minister, announced the creation of Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts community-owned retail outlets designed to strengthen market access for women entrepreneurs.
The plan is based on the success in the Lakhpati Didi program and is a reflection of the government’s larger objective of encouraging an inclusive, grassroots-based entrepreneurship. In providing women-led businesses with retail space as well as improved financing and support from institutions SHE Marts seek to make rural enterprises more visible, profitable and viable over the long run.
What Are SHE Marts?
The SHE Marts (Self-Help Entrepreneur Marts) are designed to be stores owned by communities to be established within cluster-level federations of self help organizations (SHGs). Instead of temporary shows or fairs in local areas they are designed in the form of permanent, organized markets in which the products of women-led businesses can be displayed and offered for sale consistently.
The aim is to close one of the biggest challenges that rural women entrepreneurs face: market access. Although the majority of SHGs are skilled in the production of goods ranging from food items and crafts to textiles and other services, they often have difficulty reaching out to larger market segments for their products. SHE Marts seek to address this issue by establishing an exclusive platform that can bring products closer to the consumer.
SHE Marts Overview
| Aspect | Details |
| Scheme Name | Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts |
| Announced In | Union Budget 2026 |
| Announced By | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman |
| Target Group | Women-led companies and SHG members |
| Ownership Model | Community-owned |
| Location | Federations at the cluster level |
| Core Objective | Women-owned businesses can be sustained and scaled up. |
| Linked Programme | Lakhpati Didi Programme |
| Implementing Focus | Rural & semi-urban India |
| Official Website | https://www.myscheme.gov.in/ |
Why Did the Government Introduce SHE Marts?
The announcement is made against the backdrop of increasing recognition that women’s involvement in the economic system is crucial to India’s growth over the long term. Based on the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on January 29th Women have played an important role in advancing India’s economy. The Survey revealed that increasing women’s participation in the workforce to about 55 percent before 2050 could be the key for maintaining the country’s strong growth in GDP.
Despite advancements, many women-led businesses remain:
- Small in terms of size
- Informal, structured
- Only available to seasonal or local markets
SHE Marts aim to tackle these issues through offering:
- Stable retail infrastructure
- Better branding opportunities
- Stronger institutional support
Key Objectives of SHE Marts
SHE Marts initiative SHE Marts initiative focuses on helping women transition from the traditional livelihoods to ownership of enterprises. The primary goals are:
- Facilitating market access for products that are led by women
- Aiding companies grow to compete with local competitors
- Promoting brand-building in SHG-related products
- Generating stable earnings streams rather than seasonal income
- Enhancing the capacity of institutions at the cluster level and Federations
Through this it is the goal of government to help women entrepreneurs become more resistant to market shocks and price fluctuation.
How SHE Marts Will Function
The Budget 2026 plan:
- The SHE Marts are managed and owned by women via SHG Federations
- They will be operating at the level of the cluster that covers many villages or blocks.
- Finance will be provided by new and improved instruments for financing as announced in the Budget.
The marts will offer a range of goods, such as:
- Handicrafts, handloom and other items
- Processed food products and agricultural products
- Home appliances
- Locally produced consumer products
The focus is on adding value as well as quality improvement and a consistent supply.
Link to the Lakhpati Didi Program
SHE Marts initiative directly builds upon the success that was the Lakhpati Didi Programme that is managed under the Ministry of Rural Development.
What Is the Lakhpati Didi Programme?
The Lakhpati Didi Programme aims to aid women in rural areas:
- Small businesses can be started or expanded.
- Earn an annual annual income of Rs.1 lakh
- Achieve financial independence
Through this program the women SHG members are trained in a variety of different skills including:
- Electrical and plumbing work
- Manufacturing LED bulbs
- Repairing and operating drones
- Micro-enterprises and food processing
SHE Marts are what is the the next step–moving from earning income to ownership of a company along with market development.
How SHE Marts Support Scale and Sustainability
The most significant features in SHE Marts’s business is their emphasis upon sustainable long term sustainability not just the short-term gain.
Key Ways They Enable Growth:
- Lower the dependence of middlemen increasing profits margins
- The power of collective bargaining for prices and raw materials
- More visibility for products made by women
- Cash flow that is regular and not irregular sales
Since these are community-owned stores the profits tend to be invested locally, which strengthens rural economies.
Impact on Rural Women and Local Economies
If it is implemented properly SHE Marts can be a significant influence:
- The increase in job opportunities for women
- Greater households’ revenus in rural regions
- More robust Local supply chain
- Cities are becoming less popular to work in low-paying jobs
They also reflect broader national goals, including:
- Women empowerment
- Rural economies that are self-reliant
- Growth that is inclusive
Challenges and What to Watch For
While the concept seems promising but its viability will be contingent on:
- Effective implementation at the ground
- Support for credit and financing that is adequate
- Standardization and quality control of products
- A strong management capability within SHG Federations
Watch closely to see how fast the plan is implemented and if it will integrate with the digital marketplace and e-commerce market in the near future.
The launch of SHE Marts in the Union Budget 2026 marks an important shift in how women’s entrepreneurship is aided in India. With a focus on the ownership, scale and sustainability the initiative is more than welfare and livelihood assistance to help promote real economic empowerment.
If properly implemented SHE Marts will be an extremely effective way that rural women can use to gain access to markets, develop branding, and add directly to the growth of India’s economy, turning the self-help group into self-help companies in the fullest sense.
FAQ’s
1. What are SHE Marts announced in Budget 2026?
Marts are retail stores owned by communities established within cluster-level federations in order to help women-led companies and improve access to markets.
2. Who will benefit from SHE Marts?
Women entrepreneurs, especially members of self-help groups in rural and semi-urban areas, will be the primary beneficiaries.
3. How are SHE Marts linked to the Lakhpati Didi Programme?
SHE Marts build on the Lakhpati Didi initiative by helping women move from earning livelihoods to owning scalable, sustainable enterprises.
