Women-led SHGs driving Meghalaya’s quiet economic revolution

Meghalaya’s village women are no longer just saving money together. They are running businesses, growing exports, and reshaping the state’s economy from the ground up. What began as small savings-and-credit groups has evolved into something far bigger.

Meghalaya’s self-help-groups (SHGs), rooted in the state’s matrilineal tradition where women hold central roles in household and community life, are now plugged into formal supply chains, processing units, and even international retail markets.In 2018, the state had around 5,984 SHGs. Now, that figure has jumped to nearly 53,000. The govt has backed this growth with Rs 415 crore through community investment funds and Rs 756 crore in credit linkages.

In just the past two years, SHG women have launched over 40,000 enterprises at the village level.The Meghalaya govt has set a target of helping 10,000 SHG women earn more than Rs 10 lakh annually by 2028. On the ground, results are already visible. Lakadong turmeric -- prized globally for its high curcumin content -- has moved from scattered farming to a proper value chain, with better seeds, local processing, and direct market access.

Farmer incomes have reportedly doubled, and over 13,000 women are part of this system.In Ri Bhoi district, farmers recently shipped two metric tonnes of organic pineapples to Lulu Mall in Dubai — a milestone flagged off by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Shillong in July 2025. GI-tagged Khasi mandarins from the same region are also finding export markets.Even traditional crafts are crossing borders. Ryndia silk, woven by SHG-linked women artisans, was recently showcased at India's Republic Day reception in Singapore.Meghalaya is targeting a $10 billion economy by 2028. These women are a core part of that plan.