SHE Marts: Community-owned retail outlets for women SHG entrepreneurs announced in Budget 2026

Exam-focused facts from the 2 February 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced setting up of community-owned retail outlets named 'Self Help Entrepreneur - SHE Marts' for women SHG members.
SHE Marts will function within cluster-level federations and be supported through enhanced and innovative finance instruments.
The initiative builds on the Lakhpati Didi scheme, which has enabled over two crore women SHG members to reach an annual household income of ₹1 lakh.
The Rural Development Ministry (RD Ministry) targets three crore women SHG members achieving ₹1 lakh annual income by 2027.