Mastercard has partnered the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to launch Project Kirana that aims to empower women through financial inclusion and digital adoption of payments at the kirana shops owned and operated by them.

The two-year programme would be initially implemented across Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi covering around 3,000 women entrepreneurs and would be scaled up later.

The programme will focus on building financial and digital literacy, improving basic business management skills and addressing the cultural and other barriers faced by women in becoming kirana entrepreneurs.

Alison Eskesen, vice-president of Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, said the three cities where it will start the programme will be a testing ground and prepare a roadmap for expansion to more states.

Mastercard has announced a commitment of Rs 250 crore to help reboot Indian SMEs.