10 April 2026·PIB

Womaniya: Building Inclusive Market Access for Women Entrepreneurs

In this note

1. At a Glance

Womaniya is a flagship initiative of Government e-Marketplace (GeM) enabling women-led MSEs and SHGs to sell directly to government buyers, bypassing intermediaries. [1][2]
Launched on 14 January 2019 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, it tackles women entrepreneurs' triple challenge: access to markets, finance, and value-addition. [2][3]
UPSC relevance: intersects GS-II (welfare/women) and GS-III (MSME, public procurement, inclusive growth), and is the operational vehicle for the 3% women-MSE procurement mandate. [1][2]

PIB Backgrounder (10 April 2026) highlighted Womaniya's FY 2025-26 performance: 2.1 lakh+ women MSEs registered, 13.7 lakh order volume, ₹28,000 crore+ contract value awarded (27.6% YoY growth). [1]
GeM–UN Women MoU (November 2025) to advance gender-responsive procurement and strengthen hyper-local linkages. [2][4]
GeM marked 7 years of Womaniya in 2026. [2]

Origin: Launched 14 January 2019 by GeM as a dedicated storefront for women-led enterprises. [2][3]
Driving rationale: Women MSEs were severely under-represented in public procurement, a major organised market in India. [1]
Predecessor/parallel: SWAYATT (Start-ups, Women and Youth Advantage Through eTransactions) launched in 2019 — broader inclusion umbrella on GeM. [5]
Milestones: MoU with SEWA Bharat (January 2023); MoU with Usha Silai School (2023); MoU with UN Women (November 2025). [2][4]

Implementing platform: Government e-Marketplace (GeM), a Section 8 company under Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. [1][2]
Beneficiaries: Women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs). [1][2]
Eligible product categories: handicrafts, handloom, jute, coir, bamboo products, organic foods, spices, home décor, office furnishings, accessories. [1][3]
Statutory backing: Operates under the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs Order, 2012 (MSMED Act, 2006) — mandates 25% procurement from MSEs, including 3% earmarked for women-owned MSEs. [1]
FY 2025-26 numbers: 2.1 lakh+ registered women MSEs; 13.7 lakh order volume; ₹28,000 crore+ awarded; 5.6% of GeM's total orders went to women MSEs (vs 3% mandate). [1][2]

Economic

Channels organised public demand to women micro-entrepreneurs, formalising informal-sector output. [1]
27.6% YoY contract-value growth signals deepening market integration. [2]

Social / Gender

Operationalises gender-responsive procurement — addresses structural exclusion of women from B2G markets. [1][4]
SHG inclusion links it to DAY-NRLM ecosystem and rural women's collectives. [1]

Administrative

Demonstrates GeM's design as an inclusive digital public infrastructure (DPI) — transparent, standardised supplier onboarding. [1]
Performance (5.6%) exceeds the statutory 3% women-MSE floor, validating active outreach over passive mandates. [2]

Legal / Constitutional

Anchored in MSMED Act 2006 + Public Procurement Policy 2012; aligns with DPIIT procurement reforms. [1]
Resonates with Article 15(3) (special provisions for women) and Article 39(a) DPSP. [1]

Ethical / Governance

Reduces intermediary rent extraction; direct seller-to-buyer flows. [3]
Partnerships (SEWA, UN Women, Usha) reflect multi-stakeholder governance. [2][4]

November 2025: GeM signed MoU with UN Women for gender-responsive procurement. [4]
FY 2025-26: Cumulative women-MSE contract value crossed ₹28,000 crore. [2]
April 2026: PIB Backgrounder issued (10 Apr 2026) consolidating Womaniya's 7-year impact. [1]
2026: Womaniya completes seven years; GeM also flagged SWAYATT's 7-year mark. [2][5]

Womaniya launch date: 14 January 2019. [2]
Implementing platform: GeM, under Ministry of Commerce and Industry (NOT MSME ministry). [1]
Public Procurement Policy mandate: 25% from MSEs, of which 3% from women-owned MSEs. [1]
Enabling statute: MSMED Act, 2006. [1]
FY 2025-26 women MSEs on GeM: 2.1 lakh+. [1]
Order volume FY 2025-26: 13.7 lakh. [1]
Contract value FY 2025-26: ₹28,000 crore+, growth 27.6%. [2]
Share of GeM orders to women MSEs: 5.6% (vs 3% mandate). [2]
MoU partners: SEWA Bharat (2023), Usha Silai School (2023), UN Women (Nov 2025). [2][4]
Related GeM inclusion umbrella: SWAYATT (Startups, Women, Youth via eTransactions). [5]
GeM legal form: Section 8 (not-for-profit) company under Department of Commerce. [2]
Eligible categories include handicrafts, handloom, jute, coir, bamboo, home décor. [3]

GS-II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections — women; Government policies for development.
GS-III: Inclusive growth; MSME sector; e-governance & DPI.
Possible questions:
"Examine how digital public procurement platforms like GeM advance gender-responsive economic inclusion. Illustrate with the Womaniya initiative."
"Public procurement set-asides are necessary but not sufficient for women's economic empowerment. Discuss."
"Discuss the role of strategic partnerships (SEWA, UN Women) in scaling government-led market access programmes for women MSEs."

Wrong ministry: Womaniya is under Commerce & Industry (via GeM), NOT Ministry of MSME or Ministry of Women & Child Development. [1]
Confusing the 25% MSE target with the 3% women-MSE sub-target under PP Policy 2012. [1]
Mixing Womaniya with SWAYATT — Womaniya is women-specific; SWAYATT covers startups+women+youth. [2][5]
GeM is a Section 8 company, not a statutory body or PSU. [2]
Launch year is 2019, not 2016 (year GeM itself launched).