“This year’s Union Budget makes an important shift by recognising that inclusion and growth must be anchored in livelihoods that are locally rooted, resilient, and owned by communities themselves. The announcement of Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts is particularly significant, as it signals a move from credit-led participation to women becoming enterprise owners with market access. Our work on the ground has seen how women thrive when skilling is paired with enterprise pathways, cluster-based markets, and sustained handholding. This aligns closely with our experience and observations working with different communities across India.
The emphasis on MSMEs as growth ‘champions’ and the push for green technologies, including large-scale investments in climate-resilient and circular economy solutions, strengthens the case for future-ready skilling that goes beyond placement. It reinforces the need to prepare communities not just for jobs, but for evolving local economies, be it in waste management, green services, or micro-manufacturing.
The focused attention on the Purvodaya states and the North-Eastern region is also encouraging. For organisations working deeply in eastern India and Assam, this creates an opportunity to align regional aspirations with national priorities. Going forward, the real measure of success will lie in how well these policy frameworks translate into stable livelihoods, enterprise continuity, and dignity for those who have historically remained at the margins of growth.”
