New Delhi: As the Digital India programme completes 11 years, the Government of India has highlighted the growing success of eSaras, a digital commerce platform that is empowering rural women entrepreneurs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) by connecting them directly with buyers across the country.
Developed by the Digital India Corporation (DIC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), eSaras operates under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). The platform enables rural producers to market their products through a trusted online marketplace while promoting inclusive digital growth and sustainable livelihoods.
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Empowering Nearly 9 Crore SHG Members
The initiative today supports more than 8.99 crore registered SHG members, creating one of the world’s largest women-led livelihood ecosystems. The platform currently features over 1,400 products, including handicrafts, handloom items, papad, pickles, honey, spices, millet-based foods, dairy products, herbal products, bamboo crafts, home décor, and personal care products.
More than 800 buyers access SHG products through ONDC-enabled applications, while 11 buyer apps have been integrated with the platform. Additionally, over 50 SARAS Melas are organised annually to help rural enterprises expand their market reach.
Digital Commerce Boosting Rural Livelihoods
The government said eSaras enables women entrepreneurs to independently showcase and sell products nationwide through digital onboarding, online catalogues, inventory management, secure digital payments, integrated logistics, and multilingual support powered by BHASHINI.
By reducing dependence on intermediaries, the platform allows rural producers to directly access national markets, helping increase household incomes and strengthen rural entrepreneurship. The initiative also supports the government’s vision of creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029.
Beyond Agriculture
Recognising that agricultural income is often seasonal, eSaras encourages rural families to diversify their earnings through food processing, handicrafts, textiles, dairy products, herbal goods, honey production, and other allied activities.
The platform also promotes value addition by helping SHGs convert raw agricultural produce into higher-value packaged products such as chips, papad, jams, pickles, candies, bottled honey, processed pulses, and packaged spices, enabling better returns for producers.
Training Rural Entrepreneurs
Under DAY-NRLM, women entrepreneurs receive training in digital onboarding, branding, packaging, product photography, digital marketing, inventory management, customer service, financial literacy, and logistics management. These capacity-building initiatives help rural women independently manage online businesses and participate more effectively in India’s digital economy.
Technology Driving Inclusion
Built on Digital Public Infrastructure, eSaras integrates with UMANG, secure payment systems, logistics partners, and API-based verification services. Seller verification through LokOS enhances trust, while multilingual support through BHASHINI and accessibility features such as text-to-speech and adjustable text size make the platform more inclusive for users across regions and abilities.
Khurja Pottery Finds National Market
One of the success stories highlighted by the government is Falak Self-Help Group from Khurja, Uttar Pradesh, known for its GI-tagged Khurja pottery.
Earlier dependent on local markets and exhibitions, the group has been selling handcrafted pottery products across India through eSaras for the past three and a half years. The platform’s logistics support has enabled safe delivery of fragile products while significantly expanding market access and strengthening the livelihoods of rural women artisans.
Strengthening Digital Rural Economy
Since its launch in October 2022, eSaras has expanded through the introduction of its Android application, integration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), logistics services, secure payment gateways, digital seller verification, analytics tools, and UMANG integration.
The government said the platform reflects how Digital India is leveraging technology to create sustainable livelihood opportunities, preserve traditional crafts, strengthen rural entrepreneurship, and make digital commerce accessible to women-led enterprises across the country.
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