As the Digital India programme marks 11 years, the government’s eSaras platform is aiding over 8.99 crore registered Self-Help Group (SHG) members in accessing digital markets. This initiative allows rural producers, women entrepreneurs, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to sell their goods nationwide through a trusted online marketplace. Developed by the Digital India Corporation (DIC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), eSaras operates under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
The eSaras platform encompasses 8.99 crore registered SHG members, establishing one of the world’s largest women-led livelihood ecosystems. With a catalog of over 1,400 products, the platform facilitates access to SHG products for more than 800 buyers through Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)-enabled buyer applications. Additionally, it hosts over 50 SARAS Melas annually, with SHG products accessible via 11 buyer applications integrated with ONDC.
eSaras empowers women-led SHGs to showcase and vend products nationwide independently. Through digital onboarding, online product catalogs, inventory management, secure digital payments, integrated logistics, and multilingual access powered by BHASHINI, SHGs can reach a broader market.
The platform supports a variety of rural products, including handicrafts, handloom items, processed food, honey, dairy products, herbal goods, home décor, and millet-based food items. This diversification enables rural households to enhance income beyond agriculture by focusing on value-added products. Women engaged with SHGs receive training in digital onboarding, branding, packaging, product photography, digital marketing, inventory management, customer service, and financial literacy to enhance their ability to manage online businesses autonomously.
eSaras collaborates with ONDC, UMANG, digital payment systems, and logistics partners to streamline operations. Seller verification through LokOS and multilingual support via BHASHINI enhance platform security, accessibility, and inclusivity.
