Content
- Nari Shakti se Viksit Bharat: Women Leading India’s Economic Transformation Story
- GeM Surpasses ₹15 Lakh Crore in Cumulative GMV Since Inception
Nari Shakti se Viksit Bharat: Women Leading India’s Economic Transformation Story
Why Women’s Economic Empowerment Matters
- Demographic Dividend: India’s large young population requires full utilization of both male and female workforce potential.
- Multiplier Effect: Higher female labor force participation (FLFP) boosts household income, reduces poverty, and raises GDP.
- UN SDGs Linkage: Women empowerment is central to SDG 5 (Gender Equality), but also accelerates SDGs on poverty, health, education, and economic growth.
- Global Context: World Bank estimates that closing gender gaps in labor markets could increase global GDP by $5–6 trillion.
Relevance : GS 2(Social Justice , Governance)
Current Progress: Data from PLFS, EPFO, and Other Sources
- Workforce Participation Rate (WPR):
- 2017-18 → 22%
- 2023-24 → 40.3%
- Nearly doubled in 6 years.
- Female Unemployment Rate (UR):
- 2017-18 → 5.6%
- 2023-24 → 3.2%
- Shows stronger job absorption.
- Rural vs Urban Trends:
- Rural: 96% rise in female employment.
- Urban: 43% growth.
- Education & Employability:
- Employability of female graduates → 42% (2013) to 47.5% (2024).
- Postgraduate women WPR → 34.5% (2017-18) to 40% (2023-24).
- Formal Workforce Expansion:
- 1.56 crore women added to formal jobs (EPFO payroll).
- 16.69 crore women registered on e-Shram (unorganized workers).
Women-Led Development: Policy & Institutional Push
- From Welfare to Entrepreneurship: Shift from “women development” to “women-led development” under Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
- Gender Budgeting:
- 2013-14 → ₹0.85 lakh crore
- 2025-26 → ₹4.49 lakh crore (↑ 429%).
- Schemes Supporting Women:
- 70 Central schemes, 400+ State-level schemes.
- Examples: NRLM, Startup India, Mudra Yojana, SVANidhi, Drone Didi, Lakhpati Didi.
Women in Entrepreneurship & Business
- Startups: Nearly 50% DPIIT-registered startups (74,410/1.54 lakh) have a woman director.
- Mudra Yojana: Women received 68% of total loans (35.38 crore loans worth ₹14.72 lakh crore).
- PM SVANidhi: 44% beneficiaries are women vendors.
- MSMEs:
- Women-owned proprietary establishments → 17.4% (2010-11) to 26.2% (2023-24).
- Number of women-led MSMEs doubled → 1 crore (2010-11) to 1.92 crore (2023-24).
- Generated 89 lakh jobs for women (FY21–FY23).
Structural Drivers of Change
- Education & Skill Development: Better female literacy (77% in 2022-23) and access to higher education.
- Digital & Financial Inclusion:
- Jan Dhan accounts: 56% women account holders.
- UPI adoption by women entrepreneurs.
- Social Norms & Aspirations: Cultural acceptance of women in business and non-traditional roles is rising.
- Political Support: Women-centric electoral promises, enhanced reservation in local bodies, and policy emphasis on Nari Shakti.
Challenges & Gaps
- Regional Disparities: Female LFPR remains low in certain states (e.g., Bihar, UP).
- Quality of Jobs: Much of the rise is in agriculture and informal services; wage parity remains an issue.
- Workplace Barriers: Safety concerns, lack of childcare, and gender stereotypes limit participation.
- STEM & Leadership Gaps: Women underrepresented in tech, higher management, and policymaking roles.
- Unpaid Care Work: Women continue to bear disproportionate household responsibilities.
Global Benchmarking
- India’s FLFP (2023-24): ~40% (sharp rise, but still below global avg. of ~47%).
- OECD Countries: Often above 55-60%.
- China & Bangladesh: Higher female participation historically, but India catching up post-2018 reforms.
Future Outlook: Towards Viksit Bharat 2047
- Target: 70% female workforce participation by 2047.
- Pillars for Next Stage:
- Expanding formal sector absorption.
- Deepening women’s role in startups, tech, and green jobs.
- Removing wage & leadership gaps.
- Scaling financial inclusion beyond micro-credit.
- Stronger care economy support (childcare, maternity benefits).
Significance for India’s Transformation
- Economic Impact: McKinsey estimates adding $770 billion to India’s GDP by 2025 with gender parity in labor force.
- Social Impact: Reduces poverty, improves nutrition, education, and intergenerational mobility.
- Strategic Impact: Women-led growth strengthens India’s global image as an inclusive democracy.
GeM Surpasses ₹15 Lakh Crore in Cumulative GMV Since Inception
What is GeM?
- Launched: August 9, 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
- Purpose: Unified online marketplace for government procurement of goods and services.
- Nature: Paperless, cashless, contactless platform using technology to remove intermediaries.
- Scale (2025):
- 70,000+ buyer organizations.
- Over 65 lakh sellers/service providers.
- 11,000+ product categories and 320+ service categories.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance )
Importance of Public Procurement in India
- Public procurement = 20–25% of India’s GDP (World Bank).
- Traditionally faced issues: corruption, cartelization, delays, lack of vendor diversity.
- GeM solves this via:
- Real-time price discovery & reverse e-auctioning.
- Direct govt-to-vendor contracts (removes middlemen).
- Integrated payment systems with PFMS (Public Financial Management System).
Milestone Achievement – ₹15 Lakh Crore GMV (2025)
- Gross Merchandise Value (GMV): Cumulative value of goods/services sold.
- Achievement: ₹15 lakh crore in 9 years (2016–2025).
- Annual GMV acceleration:
- ₹1 lakh crore in 2019–20.
- ₹2.5 lakh crore in 2021–22.
- ₹4 lakh crore in 2022–23.
- ₹6.2 lakh crore in 2023–24.
Key Features Driving Success
- Inclusivity:
- ~57% of registered sellers are MSEs.
- Over 12 lakh women entrepreneurs registered.
- 1.5 lakh+ SC/ST entrepreneurs onboarded.
- Ease of Doing Business: End-to-end online registration, e-bidding, 100% digital payments.
- Transparency: Price comparison, contract history, no human discretion in bidding.
- Innovation: AI-driven analytics for demand forecasting; pilots with blockchain for contract security.
- Integration: Linked with Aadhaar, Udyam, GSTN, PAN databases for vendor validation.
Socio-Economic Impact
- Savings for Government: Estimated 9–10% cost reduction vs traditional procurement (CAG reports).
- Support for MSEs: Over 50% of total order value goes to MSEs.
- Women & Marginalized Vendors:
- 12% of procurement earmarked for women-led & SC/ST enterprises.
- SHGs in states like UP, Bihar, and MP sell handicrafts, textiles, agri-products.
- Employment & Innovation:
- Strengthened rural entrepreneurship by connecting SHGs.
- Startups gain direct market access (Startup India–GeM integration).
Policy & Governance Significance
- Digital India Alignment: End-to-end online procurement supports e-Governance.
- Atmanirbhar Bharat Push: Preference to Make in India suppliers; over 75% of orders are domestic.
- Fiscal Accountability: Integrated with PFMS → reduces payment delays & leakages.
- Viksit Bharat Vision (2047): Move towards a fully digital, transparent, inclusive procurement ecosystem.
Challenges Ahead
- Regional disparities: Seller concentration in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka; weaker presence in NE states & rural belts.
- Digital Divide: Limited internet access & literacy among SHGs/rural MSEs.
- Quality Control: Ensuring inclusivity while maintaining quality standards.
- Cybersecurity Risks: Fraud, phishing, fake vendors.
- Training Gap: Many local bodies, Gram Panchayats, and small vendors lack digital procurement training.
Way Forward
- Expand Onboarding: Focus on SHGs, women, rural entrepreneurs.
- Deepen Tech Use: AI for fraud detection, predictive procurement; Blockchain for contract integrity.
- Green Procurement: Prioritize eco-friendly goods/services (Net Zero 2070 goal).
- Global Outreach: Position GeM as a DPI model for developing nations (like UPI).
- Capacity Building: Training programs for govt officials & rural vendors.
Strategic Significance
- Economic: Streamlines procurement worth ₹15 lakh crore+, freeing fiscal space for welfare schemes.
- Social: Empowers women, SHGs, SC/ST enterprises by integrating them into govt business.
- Governance: Reduces corruption & leakages, enhances trust in state systems.
- Global Image: Along with UPI, CoWIN, Aadhaar → GeM strengthens India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) profile.
