Gujarat launches Rs 25 crore marketing support scheme to connect Sakhi mandal products to e-commerce platforms
Gandhinagar, July 30
To make rural women associated with Sakhi Mandals financially Atmanirbhar and increase their income, the Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company Limited has launched the 'Marketing Support Scheme'.
Under the scheme, Rs 25 crore will be provided during 2026-27 to help Sakhi Mandals connect their products to e-commerce platforms, giving them access to national and international markets.
Implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and guided by Rural Development Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya and Minister of State Sanjaysinh Mahida, the scheme will help rural women sell their locally made products online and connect them directly with global markets.
Until now, products made by Self-Help Groups were mainly sold at local fairs and exhibitions. Under the new scheme, women will receive financial assistance to complete the required formalities for registering on e-commerce platforms. This includes GST registration up to Rs 15,000, FSSAI licence up to Rs 10,000, and PAN Card registration up to Rs 2,000.
Additionally, an online sales incentive of Rs 20 per order will be provided, with lifetime assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh for each Sakhi Mandal.
This initiative will help rural women earn from home and become 'Lakhpati Didis', while giving a strong boost to the rural economy.
Rekhaben of Dhoraji earned Rs 10.96 Lakh annually through her spice business. The success story of the President of the Osam Sakhi Mandal in Patanvav village of Dhoraji taluka, Rajkot district, is inspiring many rural women. After joining a Self-Help Group in 2016, she received food processing training from RSETI and started a traditional spices business.
With a bank loan of Rs 1.5 lakh, she expanded her business and created employment opportunities for other local women. Today, her spice unit earns an annual income of over Rs 10.96 lakh. Under the Government's new 'Marketing Support Scheme', many Sakhi Mandals like Rekhaben's will now be able to sell their products through e-commerce platforms and reach customers in national and international markets.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Rs 20 per order incentive is good for initial push, but what about logistics and packaging costs? Many rural women may not have access to reliable courier services. Also, digital literacy training should be part of this scheme, not just registration fees. Hope they address these ground-level challenges.
Rekhaben's story is truly inspiring! From a Rs 1.5 lakh loan to earning Rs 10.96 lakh annually, she is a true 'Lakhpati Didi' for Gujarat. This scheme will help thousands of such women to skip middlemen and sell directly. State government deserves credit for recognizing the potential of rural women entrepreneurs.
Good scheme but it's for 2026-27 only? Why such distant timeline when women need support now? Also, Rs 25 crore for entire state seems low if you consider thousands of Sakhi Mandals. Need to see clear implementation roadmap and how quickly registrations can happen. Otherwise it will become another bureaucratic delay.
This is exactly the kind of innovation needed for rural development. Instead of just giving subsidies, they are helping women get their products on Amazon, Flipkart, etc. The FSSAI and GST support is crucial - many SHGs couldn't scale because of these compliance issues. If done right, could be a game changer for rural economy.
As someone who buys from local SHG fairs regularly, this move is brilliant! Quality handicrafts and food products deserve wider markets. Hope they also provide proper product photography and description support. Many times village products don't look
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