Next Phase for Rural Women Entrepreneurship

DAY-NRLM has built a nationwide women-led economic network, mobilising ~10 crore households into SHGs that leverage large-scale formal credit and promote income growth through “Lakhpati Didi” initiatives.

Table of Contents

Context

Why a New Phase (2026–31)?: The next appraisal cycle aims to transition from financial inclusion to enterprise scaling, market integration, and sustainable rural entrepreneurship.

Key Reform Priorities

Strengthen CLFs: Make CLFs autonomous, community-owned institutions that lead local enterprise development rather than functioning as extensions of government machinery.
Improve Fund Governance: Introduce robust social and statutory audits to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective use of large community-level funds.
Flexible Financial Products: Customise savings and credit terms to match the diverse needs and risk profiles of rural women-led enterprises.
Build Individual Credit Histories: Generate CIBIL scores for SHG members to enable access to higher individual loans and formal financial markets.

Financing Beyond Loans

Innovative Capital: Diversify funding sources by integrating equity, venture capital, and blended finance to support enterprise growth.
Institutional Partnerships: Partner with SIDBI, NBFCs, and neo-banks to design tailored financial products for rural women entrepreneurs.

Coordination & Convergence

Integrated Livelihood Planning: Use VPRPs to prepare annual, bottom-up livelihood action plans at the State and UT levels.
CLFs as Business Hubs: Develop CLFs into one-stop centres providing finance, training, advisory, and market linkages.
Institutional Convergence: Establish a NITI Aayog-led Convergence Cell to align and streamline livelihood schemes across key ministries.

Marketing & Market Access

National Marketing Vertical: Create a dedicated unit to strengthen branding, packaging, quality standards, pricing strategies, and logistics for SHG products.
State-Level Market Entities: Set up professional agencies to connect SHG enterprises with private markets and digital commerce platforms.