Flipkart partners government to empower artisans, SHGs

Flipkart on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry's Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) to empower skilled yet underserved sections of society by inducting them into e-commerce.

To begin with, the e-commerce company will collaborate with state missions under the DAY-NULM to establish the 'Flipkart Samarth programme' in 22 states in India .

The government and the company will work with self help groups (SHGs), including local artisans, weavers and crafts producers, and producers of raw and organic food items to provide them market access, training and support.

"The collaboration with Flipkart will be instrumental in capacity building of women entrepreneurs in skills of branding, digital marketing and financial management in addition to providing access to wider customer base to locally made high quality products of Self Help Groups under DAY-NULM," said Sanjay Kumar, Housing and Urban Affairs Joint Secretary and Mission Director DAY-NULM.

Sellers under the programme shall receive time-bound incubation support from the company that extends to a host of benefits, such as cataloguing support, account management support and more, the company said in a statement.

This partnership will increase business and trade opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and provide them training and support to grow their business.

"This initiative will enable these sellers to overcome geographical and socio-economic constraints by leveraging the Flipkart platform to reach more than 200 million customers across India," said Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group.

"With every artisan or MSME onboard on Flipkart, e-commerce becomes more inclusive...," Kumar added.

According to the company, it will bring small businesses and SHGs under the DAY-NULM umbrella into the e-commerce fold, enabling them to access a much larger, pan-India market.