- Why in news
- On 10 April 2026, PIB published a explainer on the Womaniya initiative on GeM, citing FY 2025-26 figures on women MSEs registered and contracts awarded.
- What it is
- Womaniya is an initiative on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It gives women-led micro and small enterprises and Self-Help Groups a dedicated digital interface to list products and sell directly to Central ministries and PSUs. It sits within GeM's wider SWAYATT inclusion programme.
- Launch
- The Womaniya initiative on GeM was introduced in 2019.
- Ministry
- It works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Onboarding
- Women MSEs are onboarded digitally through Udyam verification and essential documents.
- Procurement target
- Women MSEs got 5.6% of GeM's total orders, above the mandated 3% target.
- GeM launch
- GeM was launched in 2016 as a paperless, cashless and contactless procurement platform.
Don’t confuse with Womaniya vs SWAYATT: Womaniya is for women MSEs and SHGs only. SWAYATT is the wider GeM programme covering startups, women, youth, MSEs, SHGs and marginalised groups.
Don’t confuse with SHG vs MSE: An SHG is an informal group of about 10 to 20 members who pool savings. An MSE is a registered enterprise, verified through Udyam.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Gives women-led enterprises direct access to a large public market and reduces dependence on intermediaries.
- Digital, time-bound payments help micro suppliers with limited working capital.
Problems
- Women-led enterprises may lack digital skills, documentation and working capital to bid on a portal.
- Listed categories are mostly traditional products, which may keep women in low-margin segments.
Way forward
- Expand vernacular training, buyer-seller meets and district-level onboarding drives.
- Widen the product categories to higher-value goods and services.
Put in your answer
Contract value: More than ₹28,000 crore of contracts went to women MSEs, up 27.60% over last year.
SHG reach: As of February 2026, 10.05 crore women were mobilised into 90.09 lakh SHGs.
- 2017Mains GS2 · Q16Examine SHGs' role in development and government measures to promote them.
- 2014Mains GS2 · Q11Do schemes protecting resources for backward communities exclude them from urban business?
- 2020Mains GS2 · Q17Evaluate SHGs' role in microfinance, asset creation, and women's empowerment.
- 2016Prelims Q26Which statements on Stand Up India scheme for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs are correct?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting scheme for women entrepreneurs on GeM; schemes are 16% of news-linked Prelims questions, but this one is small and a question is unlikely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.