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SARAS Mela in Vijayawada: minister meets 50 SHG women entrepreneurs from 30 states

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Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya visited the National SARAS Mela in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and spoke with 50 self-help group (SHG) women entrepreneurs and Lakhpati Didis from 30 states and Union Territories, PIB said on 25 October 2026.

SARAS Mela: Minister of State Nimuben Bambhaniya with SHG women entrepreneurs at the National SARAS Mela in Vijayawada
Minister of State Nimuben Bambhaniya with SHG women entrepreneurs at the National SARAS Mela in Vijayawada Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

First National SARAS Mela outside Delhi-NCR

The National SARAS Mela is being held in Vijayawada from 13 to 31 October 2026, and PIB said it is the first national edition held outside the Delhi-NCR region. It brings together about 1,500 women SHG entrepreneurs and Lakhpati Didis from 34 states and Union Territories, with more than 650 stalls selling handloom, handicrafts, processed foods, natural products and other traditional goods. The mela is organised by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). According to the release, the ministry has run SARAS Melas at national, regional, state and district level for nearly three decades, with annual sales across these platforms of more than Rs 200 crore. The products on sale reflect India’s cultural heritage, PIB said.

Key Facts

  • Event: National SARAS Mela, Vijayawada
  • Dates: 13-31 October 2026
  • Stalls: 650+; about 1,500 women entrepreneurs from 34 states/UTs
  • Minister met: 50 SHG women from 30 states/UTs
  • Scheme: DAY-NRLM, Ministry of Rural Development

Self-help groups turn skills into livelihoods

During her visit, the minister toured stalls run by SHG women and looked at their products, praising their efforts to turn traditional skills and local resources into steady sources of income. The interaction highlighted how rural women have moved from being homemakers to entrepreneurs, earners and community leaders through collective action under DAY-NRLM, PIB said. The women told her that they were once known mainly by their husbands’ names but are now recognised by their own names and achievements. They also said their enterprises are creating work for others in their communities, helping families improve their finances and pay for children’s education. A Lakhpati Didi is an SHG member earning at least one lakh rupees a year.

Minister on market access for rural women

“Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the guidance of Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, SARAS Melas have emerged as a robust platform for empowering women-led Self-Help Groups,” Ms Bambhaniya said, adding that they promote rural entrepreneurship and widen market access for women across the country. The ministry said the platform aims to bring national-level marketing chances closer to rural producers, open new consumer markets and build lasting business links, in line with Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat. The minister encouraged the women to keep expanding their businesses and to inspire other rural women to become financially independent. The release did not give sales figures for the Vijayawada mela so far.

Why It Matters: SARAS Melas give rural women direct buyers and better prices, and holding the national edition in Vijayawada brings that market to south India.

Also on TrendDesh: Aadi Bazaar 2026 opens in Raipur with tribal crafts from across India till 2 November · ISCC 2026 in Chennai: Central Silk Board invites global silk sector at Philippine summit

Source: PIB, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, 25 Oct 2026 · DAY-NRLM, Ministry of Rural Development

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