THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
NEW DELHI, JULY 23, 2026
Five women entrepreneurs from Madhya Pradesh have been
recognised by NITI Aayog and Reliance Foundation for transforming their kirana
stores into thriving rural enterprises, underscoring the growing role of
women-led neighbourhood retail in strengthening local economies. The
recognition comes under the Empowering Rural Women Kirana Entrepreneurs (RWKEs)
Atal Tinkering and Research (ATR) pilot programme, which has equipped women
retailers with digital, financial and business management skills to build more
resilient and sustainable enterprises.
The felicitation ceremony was attended by Dr. Joram Aniya,
Member, NITI Aayog; Anna Roy, Mission Director, WEP and Programme Director,
NITI Aayog; Deepthi Nukalapati, Chief – Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation;
and Sonal Jaitly, Associate Partner and Global Lead – GEDSI, MicroSave
Consulting (MSC), along with the awardees and their family members.
The five entrepreneurs were presented with grants of ₹1
lakh each in recognition of their entrepreneurial commitment, business growth
and remarkable progress under the programme.
Representing inspiring examples of resilience, adaptability
and entrepreneurial leadership, the women shared their learning journeys and
outlined their plans to expand their businesses by applying the knowledge and
techniques gained through the training programme.
The Empowering Rural Women Kirana Entrepreneurs (RWKEs)
programme is a pilot initiative of Reliance Foundation, undertaken in
partnership with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), NITI Aayog, and
implemented by MicroSave Consulting (MSC) as the technical partner. The
initiative aims to strengthen women-led kirana stores across the districts of
Barwani, Vidisha and Raisen in Madhya Pradesh.
The programme was conceptualised in recognition of the vital
contribution rural women entrepreneurs make to household incomes and local
economies, while addressing the structural barriers that often limit the growth
of their enterprises. Through targeted capacity building and sustained
handholding support, the programme focuses on four key pillars — financial
capability, digital adoption, market orientation and business planning.
Since its launch, the RWKE programme has delivered more than
1,200 hours of structured learning through over 175 training sessions across
six blocks — Barwani, Pati, Ganj Basoda, Vidisha, Obedullaganj and Sanchi — covering
three districts of Madhya Pradesh and reaching 108 women entrepreneurs.
Delivered in local languages through participatory learning
methods, the curriculum equips women entrepreneurs with practical business
skills ranging from budgeting and bookkeeping to supplier linkages, inventory
management and enterprise growth planning.
The initiative highlights the value of public-private collaboration in strengthening rural entrepreneurship ecosystems. By combining institutional support, technical expertise and on-ground implementation, the programme has created a structured pathway for women entrepreneurs to enhance business capabilities, improve operational efficiency and achieve stronger enterprise outcomes.
The RWKE programme also underscores the growing role of women-led kirana stores as critical pillars of rural supply chains and local economies. Through targeted interventions, such initiatives can improve business resilience, accelerate digital adoption and strengthen financial and operational decision-making among women entrepreneurs. Reliance Foundation remains committed to advancing women's empowerment through economic inclusion and entrepreneurship, creating lasting impact for individuals, families and communities.
