Women Entrepreneurs in Uttar Pradesh Land ₹4,755 Crore in Government Business Through GeM

In a sign of rising female participation in formal business opportunities, *women-led enterprises in Uttar Pradesh secured government contracts worth ₹4,755 crore through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal in the 2025-26 financial year — a near 44 per cent increase from ₹3,310 crore in 2024-25.

This growth highlights not just a jump in procurement value but also steady long-term gains: purchases from women business owners on the digital procurement platform have expanded from ₹467 crore in FY21 to ₹734 crore in FY22, ₹1,603 crore in FY23 and ₹2,583 crore in FY24.

GeM as a Catalyst for Inclusive Government Business

The GeM portal — the Union government’s centralised online marketplace for ministries, departments and public sector entities — has been promoted by the Uttar Pradesh government as a transparent channel for public procurement. GeM sales in the state overall reached ₹22,337 crore in FY26, the highest among all Indian states, significantly above the next-largest markets such as Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Officials credit the surge in GeM business for women entrepreneurs to targeted policies, streamlined procurement processes and encouragement from state leadership for departments to use the portal for all purchasing needs. This expanded participation spans sectors from urban development and healthcare to energy and rural programmes.

Rising Startup and MSME Engagement

The uplift for women sellers parallels broader growth in the startup and MSME ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh. Procurement from startups through GeM has also climbed sharply — from ₹261 crore in FY21 to ₹2,139 crore in FY25 and ₹3,203 crore in FY26, indicating increasing confidence in digital public procurement for innovation-driven enterprises.

The total business conducted by Uttar Pradesh sellers on the GeM portal at a national level also ballooned, from ₹5,770 crore in FY21 to ₹33,536 crore in FY25 and ₹42,654 crore in FY26, underscoring how the state’s vendor base is expanding well beyond local government buyers.

What This Means for Women-Led Businesses

The surge in government procurement for women entrepreneurs through GeM signals stronger market integration and competitive access for female-owned enterprises, often from the MSME and startup segments. Transparent e-procurement systems like GeM reduce traditional barriers in public tenders, such as complex paperwork and offline bidding practices, making it easier for women-owned businesses to win contracts based on merit.

For many female founders, especially in a state that also boasts a vibrant startup ecosystem with over half of DPIIT-registered startups led by women, this trend could help generate scale and sustainability for women-driven ventures across India.