New Delhi: The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojna- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has taken a new step to enhance marketing support for products made by women of Self-help Groups (SHGs). They have launched the eSARAS mobile App, which will contribute to the eCommerce initiatives for products made by the SHGs. The Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, officially launched the App in New Delhi. Additionally, he inaugurated the eSARAS Fulfillment Center at the Ministry’s Janakpuri office in New Delhi.
The eSARAS fulfillment center will be managed by the Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chains (FDRVC), a Not-for-Profit Company jointly constituted by the Ministry of Rural Development and Tata Trust. Its purpose is to process, package, and ship products that customers purchase through the eSARAS Portal and eSARAS mobile App. The fulfillment center will handle the logistics required to deliver online orders to customers' doorsteps.
The eSARAS mobile App serves as an e-commerce platform for marketing products made by women of self-help groups. This initiative, conceptualized by the DAY-NRLM and the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), aims to promote the marketing of high-quality, authentic handicrafts and hand looms.
During the launch of the App, Secretary Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh described it as an initiative that further promotes the spirit of supporting local products by facilitating easier marketing of products made by SHG Didis (women from self-help groups). He also mentioned that the Ministry's goal is for each SHG household to have at least 2-3 sources of livelihood. Non-farm enterprises are a significant source of livelihood for the poor, and the provision of market linkages for SHG products is a major intervention in non-farm livelihoods. Through the eSARAS mobile App, the handmade products made by SHG Didis are now easily accessible to everyone.
During the event, Shri Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary, Rural Livelihoods, welcomed the Secretary and briefed him about DAY-NRLM's marketing initiatives. Shri Singh highlighted that DAY-NRLM follows a 360-degree approach, incorporating online marketing initiatives such as the eSARAS App and Portal, as well as on-ground events like SARAS Melas and Saras Food Festivals. They also promote cross-promotion of activities on both online and on-ground platforms.
Shri Raghvendra Pratap Singh, Director, Rural Livelihoods, expressed that the support provided by DAY- NRLM, including initiatives like these, has been well-received by SHGs across the nation. The SHGs are enthusiastic about participating in these initiatives.
Shri Bipin Bihari, Co-Lead, FDRVC, expressed gratitude to the delegates and stated that FDRVC will collaborate with partners to maximize the benefits of this eCommerce boost provided by the App. The event was attended by senior officers of the Ministry, as well as delegates from other partner organizations.
