SARAS Mela moves beyond Delhi-NCR, brings 1,500 rural women entrepreneurs to Vijayawada

The government is expanding market access for rural women entrepreneurs, with the National SARAS Mela making its first appearance outside Delhi-NCR in Vijayawada, bringing together around 1,500 women entrepreneurs from 34 states and union territories.

Organised under the Centre’s Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), the mela aims to connect women-led self-help groups (SHG) with consumers, buyers and institutions.

Being held from October 13 to 31, the event features more than 650 stalls showcasing handicrafts, textiles, processed foods and locally made goods.


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The government seeks to move rural women’s enterprises beyond local markets, build lasting buyer relationships and establish more sustainable income growth.

The shift to Vijayawada marks an effort to decentralise a platform that has evolved from a traditional exhibition into a marketplace for rural enterprises. Since its inception in Delhi in 1999, SARAS has recorded 117 national melas, with cumulative sales exceeding Rs 200 crore, according to the ministry of rural development.

The initiative gains significance as the government pursues its target of creating 60 million Lakhpati Didis, an initiative under the DAY-NRLM. The programme seeks to help women achieve sustainable annual household incomes of at least Rs 1 lakh.

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The Vijayawada mela features dedicated pavilions for business learning, institutional support and live demonstrations. The Lakhpati Didi Pavilion showcases successful women entrepreneurs earning more than Rs 10 lakh annually, including some earning over Rs 1 crore.

Workshops focus on packaging, branding, e-commerce and social media marketing, while the Convergence Pavilion connects entrepreneurs with government departments and financial institutions.

Digital channels are also part of the strategy. The eSARAS platform allows customers to discover and purchase SHG products beyond physical exhibitions, while digital payments facilitate transactions at the mela.