Meesho partners with Rural Development Ministry to market SHG-made goods online

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Feb 17, 2023

E-commerce business Meesho has partnered with the Union Government’s Rural Development Ministry. As part of the partnership announced on February 16, Meesho will market products such as handloom and handicrafts made by Self Help Groups across India.

The memorandum of understanding between Meesho and the Rural Development Ministry was signed on Thursday and announced by Union Minister for Rural Development Giriraj Singh, Indo-Asian News Service reported. The marketing of products made by women’s SHGs will be carried out as part of the government’s Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (National Rural Livlihood Mission). 
 
Women’s SHGs make a wide range of products including handloom textiles, accessories, jewellery, handicraft and gift items, homeware, and food products among others. By marketing these products on its e-commerce platform, Meesho will work to increase sales which will in turn improve the livelihoods of the women workers. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target for 2024 is to have 10 crore SHG members registered, ET Bureau reported. To achieve this, the Rural Development Ministry will actively enlist new members via various schemes. 
 
When Modi became Prime Minister in May, 2014, there stood 2.35 crore SHG members, according to Singh. The present total stands at over 9 crore. Along with enlisting more SHG members, the government is keen to increase their average revenue with the aim that every SHG member should be able to save at least Rs 1 lakh per year through their work.