eSARAS: Digital Marketplace for Women Self-Help Groups
- 08 Jul 2026
In News:
The eSARAS platform is emerging as a key initiative for promoting women-led rural entrepreneurship, preserving India's traditional crafts and strengthening digital commerce under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).
What is eSARAS?
eSARAS is the official e-commerce platform developed by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM). It serves as a dedicated online marketplace for products manufactured by Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations across India.
The platform connects rural producers directly with consumers, eliminating intermediaries and enabling wider market access for women-led enterprises.
Objectives
The platform aims to:
- Promote women-led rural entrepreneurship.
- Provide nationwide market access to SHG products.
- Increase income opportunities for rural women.
- Preserve India's traditional handicrafts and handloom products.
- Promote digital inclusion and financial empowerment.
- Strengthen sustainable rural livelihoods.
Key Features
eSARAS supports women entrepreneurs by providing end-to-end market linkage services.
Its major features include:
- Exclusive marketplace for Women SHGs and their federations.
- Direct business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing platform.
- Support for branding, packaging, processing, logistics and shipping.
- Digital platform accessible across India.
- Promotes authentic handmade and indigenous products.
The platform caters to a wide range of rural artisans, including:Weavers, Potters, Marble artisans, Pashmina producers, Women-led cooperatives, and Other traditional craft clusters
Product Categories
eSARAS offers a diverse range of products such as:
- Home décor and lifestyle products
- Apparel and fashion accessories
- Personal care products
- Food and processed food items
- Toys and children's products
- Traditional handicrafts and handloom products
Some notable products include:Chanderi sarees, Pashmina products, Marble handicrafts, Handmade rural crafts
Platform Evolution
|
Platform Evolution |
Detail |
|
eSARAS Portal Launch |
e-Commerce portal https://www.esaras.in/ launched for better and more effective marketing of Saras products |
|
eSARAS Mobile App Launch |
Mobile app launched alongside the eSARAS Fulfilment Centre. It is used for processing, packaging and shipping of products. |
|
ONDC |
SHG products made available across 11 buyer apps (20 crore buyers on ONDC platform) with 800 handcrafted products listed |
|
UMANG |
eSARAS listed on UMANG; platform now serves 2,572 services with 796.69 crore transactions (June 2026) |
|
SARAS Shakti Collection |
Premium curated gift collection launched at Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan 2026 for institutional and corporate markets |
|
SARAS Aajeevika Gallery |
Permanent retail gallery established at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi, showcasing curated SHG products. |
About DAY-NRLM
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) is the flagship rural poverty alleviation programme of the Ministry of Rural Development.
It seeks to reduce rural poverty by organising poor households into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and enabling them to access sustainable livelihood opportunities through self-employment, skill development and financial inclusion.
Objectives
- Mobilise poor rural households into SHGs.
- Promote women's financial inclusion.
- Facilitate access to institutional credit.
- Strengthen rural livelihoods through entrepreneurship.
- Enhance household income and reduce poverty.
- Build strong community-based institutions for long-term socio-economic development.