Women’s entrepreneurship and rural livelihood support received a boost in the Union Budget with the announcement of SHE-Mart, a new platform for women entrepreneurs. The initiative is designed to help women move from credit-led livelihoods to enterprise ownership. It is linked to the broader push for higher farm incomes, stronger rural value chains, and digital support for agriculture.
SHE-Mart and Women Entrepreneurship
SHE-Mart stands for self-help entrepreneur Mart. It is intended to support women who have already benefited from self-help group based credit and now want to scale up into business ownership. The platform is expected to strengthen market access, enterprise development, and value addition for women-led ventures.
Rural Livelihood and Budget Support
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission, under which the Lakhpati Didi scheme operates, received an increased allocation. The Budget also raised developmental grants-in-aid to state governments under the Ministry of Rural Development by 54 per cent. This indicates a stronger focus on rural welfare, livelihood creation, and women’s economic participation.
Agriculture and Allied Sector Push
The Krishonnati Yojana under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare received a higher allocation to support farm income growth. The Budget also proposed measures for fisheries value chain development, modern animal husbandry, and AI-based agricultural tools. Special support was announced for high-value crops such as cashew, cocoa, coconut, walnuts, almonds, sandalwood, and pine nuts.
Digital Agriculture and High-Value Crops
A separate allocation was made for Bharat VISTAAR, a multilingual digital platform that will integrate AgriStack and other agricultural resources on one portal. It aims to provide farmers with easier access to customised support. Funds were also set aside for high-value agriculture in coastal areas and the North-East, reflecting a shift towards diversification, technology use, and climate-resilient farming.
Last Modified: April 27, 2026