Budget 2026-27: She Marts to empower women SHG entrepreneurs
Budget 2026-27: She Marts to empower women SHG entrepreneurs
New initiative launches community-owned She Marts to empower women SHG entrepreneurs, expanding on Lakhpati Didi to turn credit into ownership.
The Union Budget for 2026-27 unveils a bold step to empower women entrepreneurs. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the creation of 'SHE Marts'—community-owned retail outlets designed to be run within cluster-level federations by women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
She Marts build on the success of the Lakhpati Didi program, which has already helped over two crore women become Lakhpati Didi by achieving at least ₹1 lakh in annual household income. The budget aims to push this further by turning credit-linked livelihoods into ownership of enterprises, with SHE Marts acting as shared retail platforms.
Budget documents describe She Marts as operating with enhanced and innovative finance instruments that give SHG members greater control over local markets, improving access to customers and supply chains. The goal is to reach three crore women SHG members with ₹1 lakh annual income by 2027.
By centering community-owned retail within federations, the plan seeks to strengthen grassroots entrepreneurship and create sustainable livelihoods across clusters. If successfully implemented, these outlets could boost local products, empower women, and widen the reach of micro and small enterprises.
