New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has signed a three-year non-financial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PCI India. The objective is to strengthen women-led enterprises, particularly businesses run by Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Under this partnership, their access to public procurement and market opportunities will be enhanced within the framework of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).
The objective of this agreement, entered into under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), is to provide women entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and institutional support to participate in government procurement systems. The MoU was signed by Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary (Rural Livelihoods), and Indrajit Chaudhuri, CEO and Country Director of PCI India, in the presence of Rural Development Secretary Rohit Kansal.
Under the 2026–2029 partnership, DAY-NRLM will establish a National Resource Cell with technical support from PCI India. This cell will assist State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) in creating a procurement-based enterprise ecosystem. The initiative will also involve the development of enterprise incubation frameworks, operational toolkits, and capacity-building modules for SHG enterprises.
In the first phase of the 2026-27 financial year, technical assistance will be provided to Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. SHG enterprises will be assisted in onboarding onto the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), participating in tenders, adhering to quality standards, and accessing markets, while sustainable business models will also be promoted.
The Ministry stated that this partnership is expected to strengthen market-linked livelihoods for rural women, support the Lakhpati Didi initiative, and foster inclusive and sustainable enterprise development in line with the goals of Viksit Bharat 2047.
(PIB)
