11 Years of Digital India: How eSaras is Empowering Rural Women, SHGs and FPOs Through Digital Commerce

As the Digital India programme completes 11 years, the government focus on leveraging the digital technology for inclusive growth and it continues to transform rural livelihoods. One of the major standout initiatives driving the change is eSaras, it is a government-backed digital commerce platform which connects the rural producers, women entrepreneurs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) with customers all across India.

It is developed under the Digital India initiative, e-Saras is helping the rural entrepreneurs to sell everything from handicrafts and handloom products to papad, pickles, honey and millet-based foods via a trusted online marketplace.

What is eSaras?

The eSaras is a digital marketplace which is 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).

This platform operates under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)

The primary objective is to enable the rural producers to sell their products directly to the customers all around the India by eliminating the geographical barriers and reducing dependence on intermediaries.

By combining the digital infrastructure with the livelihood promotion, eSaras is creating sustainable income opportunities for millions of rural households.

eSaras by the Numbers

The positive impact of the eSaras has grown significantly after its launch, and making it as one of the India’s most important digital commerce platforms for the rural entrepreneurs.

Today, this platform supports more than 8.99 crore registered Self-Help Group members, creating one of the world’s largest women-led livelihood ecosystems.

Over 1,400 rural products are available on the portal, while more than 800 buyers access these products via ONDC-enabled buyer applications.

In addition, over 50 SARAS Melas are organised every year to promote the rural enterprises, and products are available across 11+ buyer applications integrated with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), it giving the rural sellers access to customers across the country.

How eSaras is Empowering Rural Women Entrepreneurs

Women-led Self-Help Groups have become the driving force behind rural economic development, and eSaras provides them with the digital tools needed to compete in the national markets.

This platform offers the complete digital commerce ecosystem which includes online seller registration via the trusted LokOS system, product cataloguing, inventory management, digital payments, integrated logistics, order tracking and multilingual support through the BHASHINI platform.

This end-to-end ecosystem allows women entrepreneurs to independently manage their online businesses, expand their customer base and significantly improve their household incomes without relying heavily on traditional middlemen.

Supporting the Vision of 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis

The Government of India has also set an ambitious target of to creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029, it enabling women associated with the Self-Help Groups to earn an annual income exceeding ₹1 lakh.

eSaras plays the crucial role in achieving this vision by giving the verified rural women entrepreneurs direct access to the national markets.

Through the increased product visibility, better pricing and year-round sales opportunities, this platform helps the women to build profitable enterprises while strengthening financial independence.

Creating Income Beyond Agriculture

For the many rural families, agriculture remains as the primary source of the livelihood, but farm incomes often fluctuate with the seasonal cycles.

eSaras helps to diversify rural incomes by promoting the non-farm livelihood activities such as food processing, handicrafts, handloom, dairy products, herbal products, bamboo crafts, honey production, home décor and personal care items.

This ensures that the rural households continue to earn even during non-harvest seasons, reducing dependence on agriculture alone while strengthening economic resilience.

Wide Range of Rural Products on eSaras

This platform also showcases the diversity of India’s rural economy by offering products across multiple categories.

Customers can also purchase handicrafts, handloom sarees, shawls, cotton garments, bamboo products, wooden crafts, terracotta items, pickles, papad, honey, spices, millet-based foods, herbal soaps, essential oils, dairy products, ghee, woollen products and several other locally produced goods.

This broad product portfolio not only supports the rural livelihoods but it also helps to preserve India’s traditional crafts and indigenous knowledge.

Technology Behind the eSaras Platform

This portal, built with India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, eSaras integrates with several advanced digital services to ensure secure, transparent and user-friendly commerce.

This platform is connected with the UMANG, secure digital payment systems, logistics partners and API-based verification services.

Also, seller verification is conducted through the LokOS, while multilingual access is powered by the BHASHINI, which enables users from diverse linguistic backgrounds to access the platform.

Accessibility features like text-to-speech support, adjustable text size and visual accessibility options also make the eSaras more inclusive for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.