DAY-NRLM Organizes Key Brainstorming Session to Boost Rural SHG Businesses
To strengthen rural enterprises and uplift Lakhpati Didis and other grassroots entrepreneurs, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) held an important brainstorming session in New Delhi today. This special consultation brought together experts from government and private sectors to discuss how to make it easier for Self-Help Group (SHG) members to run and grow their businesses.
Shri T. K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, opened the session by praising DAY-NRLM’s professional approach to tackling poverty. He said that rural entrepreneurship must grow beyond women and include youth, small farmers, and local talents.
Ms. Hena Usman, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, stated that it is important to help SHG members grasp media marketing and digital skills to ensure that their products have a wider reach.
Ms. Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary, MoRD, said that SHG members are not only producers, they are also innovators. They will need advanced training, assistance for SHGs to enter larger markets, and assistance with the government’s vision for a developed India by 2047.
The session also included
- A presentation by Dr. Molishree, Director, MoRD, on the journey and change of DAY-NRLM.
- Raman Wadhwa, Deputy Director, MoRD, highlighted various initiatives of the Ministry of Rural Development, that encourages SHG entrepreneurship.
Delegates from esteemed organizations including, India Post, Reliance Foundation, Flipkart, Fab India, Shahi Exports, ITC, NIFT, and others came into this platform and contributed with various discussions to:
- Create a National brand for SHG products.
- Enhance quality control without introducing additional stress for SHG members
- Use digital platforms for marketing, e commerce, and customer connections
- Create strong private partnerships for better access to markets and training
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There were also emphatic calls to create simple and practical quality standards for SHG’s products and for village level digital literacy and infrastructure to be improved
Closing the session, Shri T. K. Anil Kumar thanked everyone and promised that DAY-NRLM would follow up on the useful recommendations discussed during the session to help empower more rural entrepreneurs across India.
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