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In conventional public procurement systems, women-owned enterprises globally account for less than 1% of total government contracts, largely due to complex tendering requirements, lack of institutional networks, and systemic working capital constraints.

In India, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has rewritten this narrative.

Through structured interventions like the Womaniya initiative, the SARAS Collection, and an international strategic partnership with UN Women, GeM has built a direct bridge between grassroots women producers and institutional buyers.

In FY 2025–26 alone, over 2.1 lakh registered women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) secured government procurement orders worth over ₹28,000 crore ($3.3+ billion) across Central Ministries, State Departments, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

Here is a comprehensive look at how GeM is pioneering gender-responsive public procurement in India.

Women on GeM: 2025–26 Performance Scorecard

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|               Gender-Responsive Procurement on GeM (FY 2025-26)                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  [ Registered Women-Led MSEs ]         :  2.1 Lakh+ Registered Enterprises        |
|  [ Procurement Value Secured ]         :  ₹28,000+ Crore ($3.3+ Billion)          |
|  [ Flagship Inclusivity Programs ]     :  Womaniya, SWAYATT, SARAS Collection     |
|  [ Strategic Global Partner ]          :  UN Women (Gender-Responsive Sourcing)   |
|  [ Grassroots Enabler (June 2026) ]    :  50 GeM Suvidha Kendras (CSC Network)    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

1. The ‘Womaniya’ Initiative: Institutionalizing Women-Led Sourcing

Launched as a dedicated flagship initiative, Womaniya provides women entrepreneurs and Women Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) a curated marketplace category directly within the GeM navigation architecture.

       [ Women Entrepreneurs & Women Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) ]
                                 │
                                 ▼
                     [ 'Womaniya' on GeM ]
    ┌────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┐
    ▼                            ▼                            ▼
 [ Direct Buyer Visibility ]  [ Filter by Women-Led ]  [ Zero Middlemen / Full Margin ]
    └────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┘
                                 ▼
         [ 1.37 Lakh+ Central, State & PSU Buyer Organisations ]

Core Tenets of the Womaniya Initiative:

• Curated Showcase: Products manufactured by women entrepreneurs and WSHGs carry an authentic Womaniya Badge, allowing buyers looking to meet gender diversity goals to discover them instantly.
• Removal of Middlemen: By linking producers directly to government departments, women artisans receive 100% of the invoice payment directly into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
• Relaxed Prequalifications: Under the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs, registered women enterprises are exempt from rigid prior experience and prior turnover criteria for specific product categories.

2. The UN Women Strategic Partnership: Global Standards in Inclusive Buying

To align India’s public procurement with international sustainable development goals (especially SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth), GeM forged a strategic partnership with UN Women.

Strategic Objectives of the Partnership:

• Gender-Responsive Procurement (GRP) Frameworks: Developing policy toolkits to train government procurement officers on actively identifying and buying from women-led businesses.
• Capacity Building & Vendor Training: Conducting tailored digital literacy, financial management, and e-bidding workshops for women entrepreneurs across semi-urban and rural clusters.
• Impact Measurement & Reporting: Deploying analytical dashboards that measure the socio-economic impact of public spending on female labor force participation and enterprise sustainability.

3. The SARAS Collection: Taking Rural SHGs to the National Stage

Rural women organized under Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) produce high-quality daily utilities, organic foods, and indigenous crafts. However, access to high-volume buyers was historically blocked by distribution intermediaries.

Under the SARAS Collection, GeM partnered with the Ministry of Rural Development to create an institutional pipeline:

  Traditional SHG Selling Path             GeM SARAS Collection Model
  ----------------------------             --------------------------
  [ Rural Production Hub ]                 [ Rural Women SHGs ]
            │                                         │
            ▼ (Multiple Middlemen / Low Margins)      ▼ (Direct Listing on GeM)
  [ Local Weekly Haats / Fairs ]           [ Pan-India Government Demand ]
            │                                         │
  [ Limited Seasonal Income ]              [ Year-Round Institutional POs ]

Products Thriving on the SARAS Collection:

1. Office Utility & Handcrafted Gifts: Jute folders, leather-alternative conference bags, desktop organizers, and wooden executive pen stands.
2. Traditional Handlooms & Textiles: Handwoven bedsheets, khadi uniforms, corporate curtains, and decorative linen for government guest houses.
3. Pantry & Packaged Goods: Organic spices, millets, herbal teas, and indigenous snacks for government cafeterias and state bhavans.

4. SWAYATT & GeM Suvidha Kendras: Overcoming the Last Mile

To make sure that digital commerce isn’t limited to tech-savvy urban founders, GeM has deployed two on-ground enablement engines:

A. SWAYATT Initiative

SWAYATT (Startups, Women and Youth Advantage Through e-Transactions) conducts pan-India awareness drives in collaboration with local trade bodies, state livelihood missions, and district industry centers (DICs) to educate women founders on digital contract execution.

B. 50 GeM Suvidha Kendras (June 2026 Pilot)

Rolled out across select States and UTs via CSC-SPV, these physical kendras offer dedicated support to women artisans and SHGs:

• Free assisted registration (linking PAN, GST, Udyam, and Bank details).
• Professional product cataloguing, high-resolution photography, and technical spec-sheet preparation.
• End-to-end handholding during the bidding, reverse auction, and order invoicing stages.

5. Statutory Push: The 3% Procurement Mandate

Under the Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) Order, Central Ministries, Departments, and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) have clear targets:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|               Mandatory Annual MSE Procurement Quota Breakdown                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  • Minimum 25% Total Annual Buying from MSEs                                      |
|      ├── 4% Earmarked specifically for SC / ST Owned MSEs                         |
|      └── 3% Earmarked specifically for Women Owned MSEs                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

GeM’s automated algorithmic filters enable buyer officers to search exclusively for Women-Owned MSEs, ensuring that departments fulfill and exceed their 3% statutory target without administrative friction.

6. Practical Guide: How Women Entrepreneurs Can Join GeM

  Step 1: Udyam Registration (Mark enterprise as "Women-Owned")
                     │
                     ▼
  Step 2: Sign up on GeM Portal (gem.gov.in) with Udyam & PAN
                     │
                     ▼
  Step 3: Opt-in for "Womaniya" & "SWAYATT" Initiatives on Profile
                     │
                     ▼
  Step 4: Upload Product / Service Catalogue (Avail Suvidha Kendra help if needed)
                     │
                     ▼
  Step 5: Fulfill Orders & Access Instant Collateral-Free Loans on GeMSahay

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the Womaniya initiative on GeM?

Womaniya is a specialized initiative on the GeM portal designed to showcase products and services manufactured by women entrepreneurs and Women Self-Help Groups (WSHGs), granting them direct access to government procurement contracts.

Q2. How much public procurement was secured by women-led MSEs in FY 2025–26?

In FY 2025–26, over 2.1 lakh registered women-led MSEs secured government orders exceeding ₹28,000 crore.

Q3. What is the SARAS Collection on GeM?

The SARAS Collection is a dedicated marketplace category on GeM developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development. It showcases daily utility products, handicrafts, and handlooms made by rural Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to Central and State government buyers.

Q4. What role does UN Women play on GeM?

GeM partnered with UN Women to advance Gender-Responsive Public Procurement (GRP), establishing international training modules, capacity-building workshops, and impact-tracking mechanisms for women entrepreneurs.

Q5. What is the mandatory public procurement quota for women-owned MSEs?

Under the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs, Central Government Ministries, Departments, and CPSEs are mandated to procure a minimum of 3% of their annual purchases from women-owned MSEs.