New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development has launched the National Campaign on Entrepreneurship-II under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) to strengthen rural women-led enterprises.
The three-month campaign will run from August 21 to November 21, 2026, with a broader focus on farm and non-farm enterprises, marketing of Self-Help Group (SHG) products and enterprise development.
The campaign was launched by Rohit Kansal, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre and Secretary, Department of Rural Development, on World Entrepreneurs Day.
Campaign Targets 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis
The initiative is part of the government’s efforts towards the goal of creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by supporting rural women in moving from livelihood activities to sustainable enterprises.
The second phase builds on the first campaign and places greater emphasis on:
- Enterprise handholding and business support
- Formalisation of rural enterprises
- Strengthening producer groups and enterprises
- Farm and non-farm entrepreneurship
- Digital and e-commerce adoption
- Simplifying implementation processes
‘Sankalp Shakti’ Rural Enterprise Bulletin Released
The Ministry also released the first edition of ‘Sankalp Shakti’, described as the first Rural Enterprise Technical Bulletin under the initiative.
The bulletin will be published monthly and will focus on enterprise-related knowledge and the empowerment of Lakhpati Didis.
‘Udyam Sakhis’ to Support Enterprise Promotion
Under the campaign, Community Resource Persons–Enterprise Promotion (CRP-EPs) and Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) will be recognised as ‘Udyam Sakhis’.
They will support SHG members in enterprise promotion and provide greater visibility to the community cadre involved in rural entrepreneurship.
E-Commerce and Market Access in Focus
The campaign will promote digital commerce through platforms including ONDC and GeM, along with other e-commerce channels.
States will also facilitate:
- Buyer-seller meets
- Linkages with buyers, aggregators and retailers
- Institutional purchasing opportunities
- Entrepreneurship development training
- Business planning support
- Financial literacy
- Product development and branding
- Digital marketing
Campaign Sets Targets for 5 Lakh SHG Women
The campaign has set several targets for its three-month implementation period:
- 50,000 community cadres to receive orientation
- 5 lakh SHG women to receive entrepreneurship and livelihood training
- 5 lakh adolescent girls from SHG households to be added to a database
- 50,000 enterprises to receive formalisation support
- 2 lakh additional members to join Producer Groups and Producer Enterprises
- 20 lakh women to be encouraged to adopt agro-ecological practices
- 25,000 SHG members to be onboarded onto e-commerce platforms
Farm and Non-Farm Enterprises to Get Greater Support
The campaign will work with existing CRP-EP, Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP), Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) and One Stop Facility (OSF) frameworks.
The Ministry said the focus will be on developing viable livelihood activities into women-led enterprises and supporting their growth beyond initial training.
Officials from the Rural Development Departments of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal and Goa attended the launch in person, while State Mission Directors and CEOs from 34 State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) participated virtually.
