Public procurement remains one of the largest organised markets in India, and with the expansion of digital systems, access to this space has widened considerably. Against this backdrop, the government’s Womaniya initiative on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is emerging as a focused effort to bring women entrepreneurs into formal procurement networks.
Launched in 2019, Womaniya is aimed at enabling women-led micro and small enterprises (MSEs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to participate in government procurement by providing a dedicated digital interface and easing entry barriers.
What is GeM?
The Government e-Marketplace, introduced in 2016, is an end-to-end online procurement platform used by central and state ministries, public sector undertakings, and other government bodies. Designed to be paperless, cashless and contactless, GeM allows buyers to directly procure goods and services from sellers across the country, improving transparency and efficiency in public spending.
Womaniya: A targeted inclusion effort
Womaniya addresses long-standing challenges that have limited women entrepreneurs’ access to government markets. Under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, it provides a structured platform where women-led enterprises and SHGs can register and showcase products such as handloom textiles, handicrafts, coir, jute items and home décor.
The initiative enhances market visibility, enables direct buyer-seller interaction and reduces dependence on intermediaries, thereby improving earnings potential for women producers.
Role of SHGs in economic participation
Self-Help Groups form the backbone of grassroots women-led economic activity. Typically comprising 10 to 20 members, these groups pool savings and engage in income-generating activities. As of February 2026, more than 10 crore women have been mobilised into over 90 lakh SHGs, reflecting their expanding role in financial inclusion and local enterprise.
SWAYATT and the broader inclusion framework
Womaniya operates within the larger framework of SWAYATT, launched in 2019. The initiative aims to promote participation of startups, women, youth, and marginalised groups in public procurement by reducing entry barriers and improving ease of doing business on GeM.
Product categories and discoverability
To streamline procurement, Womaniya organises products into identifiable categories such as handicrafts, grocery and pantry items, office accessories, handloom textiles, and personal care products. This structured classification improves discoverability and enables government departments to source goods from women-led enterprises at scale.
Key features of the initiative
Womaniya leverages the digital infrastructure of the Government e-Marketplace to support women entrepreneurs through a range of structured interventions. The initiative enables digital onboarding of women-led enterprises through Udyam verification and simplified documentation, making entry into government procurement more accessible.
It also provides standardised cataloguing, where products are listed using uniform templates. This ensures easier comparison and evaluation for buyers, while maintaining consistency across listings. The platform supports end-to-end digital procurement, with processes such as bidding, ordering, invoicing and payments conducted entirely online, reducing dependence on intermediaries.
In addition, digitised workflows help ensure timely payments, which is particularly beneficial for small enterprises operating with limited working capital. The initiative is further supported by capacity-building efforts, including training workshops, onboarding sessions and buyer-seller meets organised across states.
Impact and growth
The Womaniya initiative has expanded steadily since its launch, reflecting increasing participation of women-led enterprises in formal markets. In FY 2025–26, more than 2.1 lakh women MSEs were registered on GeM, with total order volume reaching 13.7 lakh.
During the same period, contracts worth over ₹28,000 crore were awarded to women-led enterprises. Women entrepreneurs accounted for 5.6 per cent of total orders on the platform, surpassing the mandated procurement target of 3 per cent.
Towards inclusive procurement
The Womaniya initiative reflects a broader policy push towards inclusive economic growth by linking grassroots production with institutional demand. Through digital access, training support, and structured procurement systems, it is enabling women entrepreneurs to move from informal participation to sustained engagement in organised markets.
