Rajasthan is exploring wider markets for products made by rural women through clusters, e-Saras fairs and She Marts. The proposals to help women’s self-help groups reach more buyers were discussed at a rural development review on September 11, 2026.
Chief Secretary V. Srinivas and Union Rural Development Secretary Rohit Kansal jointly chaired the meeting at the Secretariat in Jaipur. Alongside Rajeevika, the review covered rural housing, scheme finances and matters pending with the Centre.
Clusters, e-Saras fairs and She Marts proposed
Kansal suggested expanding cluster-based activities under Rajeevika to give women’s self-help groups access to a wider market. He also proposed e-Saras fairs in Rajasthan with participants from across the country, creating opportunities for local women entrepreneurs to connect with larger markets.
He called for She Marts in every district to support employment in handicrafts and give greater recognition to women’s work. These were proposals discussed at the review; no opening dates or fair schedule were announced.
Strengthening Rajeevika’s staffing was another priority. Kansal suggested filling vacancies promptly and creating additional posts where needed to improve the programme’s capacity.
Rajasthan gets a target of 2.89 lakh rural homes
Srinivas said Rajasthan had been allocated a target of 2.89 lakh new homes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin for 2026–27. The approval process has begun. The figure represents an allocated target, rather than homes already completed.
The meeting examined construction progress, finances, coordination to provide basic amenities and the deployment of housing assistants.
Officials also reviewed work being coordinated across departments, including nutrition gardens, rural haat markets, village libraries and Atal Gyan Kendras, parks, animal shelters and block-level nurseries. Water supply, additional school classrooms, community toilets, veterinary centres and watershed development were also discussed.
Market access backed by skills, credit and digital promotion
Srinivas directed officials to combine several forms of support for rural women’s products:
- Stronger connections with markets and buyers.
- Coordinated skill development and access to credit.
- Digital branding and promotion to improve product visibility.
He also asked departments to identify successful Rajeevika women’s groups and Lakhpati Didis and promote their work more widely.
The review set out priorities for departments across Rajasthan, with regular monitoring and coordinated implementation emphasised as the next steps. The market proposals aim to expand opportunities for women’s groups, while the rural housing programme has entered the approval stage for its new annual target.
