SHE gets a boost in Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget 2026

NEW DELHI: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget in Parliament on Sunday, announced a series of measures aimed at boosting women entrepreneurship, building on the success of Lakhpati Didi scheme.

She said Self-Help Entrepreneurs (SHE) will be established as community-owned retail outlets for women, with the initiative aimed at strengthening grassroots entrepreneurship by enabling women-led self-help groups to operate local retail networks.




"Building on the success of the Lakhpati Didi programme, I propose to help women take the next step from credit-linked livelihood to being owners of enterprises," Sitharaman said. "'Self Help Entrepreneur - SHE Marts' will be set up as community-owned retail outlets within cluster-level federations through enhanced and innovative finance instruments," she said.



The move is expected to improve market access for products made by women and create sustainable livelihood opportunities at the community level.

Highlighting the government’s evolving approach to women’s economic participation, Sitharaman said the new measures will build on the success of the ‘Lakhpati Didi Programme’, which has helped millions of women improve their incomes through self-help groups.

She said the focus is now shifting beyond providing small loans or basic livelihood support to helping women scale up their businesses. “I propose to help women take the next step from credit-linked livelihoods to becoming owners of enterprises,” she said, signalling a shift from women being credit beneficiaries to becoming decision-makers and stakeholders in business and supply chains.

As part of this push, the Budget introduced the concept of “SHE” — a dedicated branding and infrastructure initiative for women entrepreneurs. Sitharaman said Self Help Entrepreneurs (SHE) will be set up as community-owned retail outlets within cluster-level federations.

Calling the Budget a reflection of women strength, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Today’s Budget is historic. It reflects the strong participation of the nation’s Nari Shakti. As the country’s woman Finance Minister, Nirmala Ji has created a new record by presenting the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time... This Budget provides a strong foundation for India’s rapid ascent towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Friends, the reform express on which India is riding will gain fresh energy and momentum through this Budget.”

The plan is aimed at providing rural and women-made products with organised retail platforms capable of competing with established brands.

Acknowledging the need for stronger financial support, the finance minister said these entrepreneurs will be backed through enhanced and innovative financing instruments, indicating a move beyond traditional bank loans and interest subsidies towards more robust funding support mechanisms.