Women form 95% of microfinance borrowers; out-earn men in select urban sectors: Survey
The Economic Survey highlighted the women's employment patterns in urban and rural areas, especially in certain sectors where women earned more than their male counterparts.
Women entrepreneurs accessed 69 per cent of all microloans, amounting to Rs 3.8 lakh crore, under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), even as female workers earned more than their male counterparts in certain sectors in urban areas, stated the Economic Survey 2026 tabled in Parliament on Thursday.
It also said that with 95 per cent of women borrowers and 80 per cent rural clientele, the microfinance sector addresses segments where credit access has historically been limited.
"Microfinance has been a crucial component of India’s financial inclusion strategy, particularly for low-income and rural households, as well as for women borrowers. The sector has expanded significantly over the past two decades, supported by institutional formalisation and the entry of private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) investors," the survey stated.
"Under PMMY, women entrepreneurs accessed 69 per cent of all microloans, amounting to Rs 13.8 lakh crore across 34.8 crore accounts. Loans worth Rs 3.60 lakh crore were accessed by SCs, Rs 1.33 lakh crore by STs, Rs 7.4 lakh crore by OBCs, and Rs 3.31 lakh crore across 5.98 crore by minorities," it said.
The survey also highlighted the PM SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor's Atma Nirbhar Nidhi), where one-third of the beneficiaries are women, 45 per cent belong to the OBCs (other backward classes), 17 per cent to SCs (Scheduled Castes), and 2 per cent to STs (Scheduled Tribes).
The government said seed capital support has been sanctioned for more than 3 lakh women SHG members, amounting to Rs 1,277.45 crore.
The survey highlighted the women's employment patterns in urban and rural areas, especially in certain sectors where women earned more than their male counterparts. For instance, in information and communication services, urban women earn about Rs 2,000 per day compared with Rs 729 for men.
Similar patterns were also observed in healthcare (Rs 542 for women versus Rs 480 for men per day), and in rural education and public administration, where female wages exceed those of male counterparts.
It said women-owned MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) in particular, account for a small fraction of commercial credit, though formalisation under Udyam, and targeted credit guidelines are gradually addressing this gap.
Under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), women self-help groups can collectively own rooftop or community solar assets, trade surplus electricity, and power micro-enterprises in food processing, tailoring, dairy, and agri-allied activities.
Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan is a nationwide campaign aimed at promoting inclusive healthcare and empowering women. Over 1.51 crore beneficiaries were screened for anaemia in 19.28 lakh camps under the initiative.
Compared to 2022, 54 percent more women are using cash specifically for accessing nutrition, and the proportion of women using cash for food increased from 30 to 89 per cent in 2025. 49 per cent more women are using local food items, ensuring improvement in dietary diversity, and a more diverse diet is being provided to children above 6 months of age, the survey noted.
"Women’s participation in regular wage jobs is 10.8 per cent in Q2 FY26 in rural areas, coinciding with a major share of women working as ‘own account workers/employers’ (37.5 per cent) or ‘helpers in household enterprises’ (34.2 per cent). These patterns highlight a tendency among female workers towards independent work and entrepreneurship, which offers flexibility," it said.
According to the survey, India has witnessed a positive trend in the Female Labor Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in recent years. It has risen from 23.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 41.7 per cent in 2023-24, reflecting a shift toward greater inclusion and economic empowerment.
It also said that the share of female-headed proprietary establishments has shown a positive trend, increasing from 24.2 per cent in 2021-2022 to 26.2 per cent in 2023-24. The share of female-headed establishments is highest for the manufacturing sector at 58.4 per cent in 2023-24.
It is also observed that states with a higher presence of female-headed establishments, such as West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, also have higher FLFPR.
