The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, organizes the first National SARAS Mela from 13 to 31 October 2026 at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada. The event features over 1500 women from Self-Help Groups across 30+ states and union territories.
On 12th October 2026, the Press Information Bureau announced that Vijayawada would become a platform for India’s rural enterprise and women-led entrepreneurship. The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, in collaboration with the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Andhra Pradesh, is organizing the first National SARAS Mela 2026 from 13 to 31 October at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada. This event will bring together over 1500 women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across 30+ states and union territories. The Mela aims to provide a platform where rural enterprises, traditional crafts, regional cuisines, and entrepreneurial stories come together. The Hon’ble President of India, H.E Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will inaugurate the event on 15th October at 11:30 AM.
The inauguration ceremony will be attended by Shri S. Abdul Nazeer, Hon’ble Governor of Andhra Pradesh, and Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Also present will be Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, and Shri Konidala Pawan Kalyan, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The Government of Andhra Pradesh is further represented by Shri Kondapalli Srinivas, Minister of MSME, SERP, NRI Empowerment and Relations, and Shri Satya Kumar Yadav, Minister of Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education.
The National SARAS Mela aligns with the Government of India’s Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Prime Minister’s vision of creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029. Through the Mela, along with SARAS Aajeevika Gallery and the eSARAS digital platform, women entrepreneurs can showcase their traditional crafts, access wider markets, and connect with consumers across India and beyond. These initiatives help women from rural areas to transform their skills into sustainable enterprises, strengthen their incomes, and achieve financial independence.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
