The National SARAS Mela 2026 in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh represents the first such event held outside the Delhi-NCR region, running from 13 October to 31 October 2026 at Punnami Ghat. Organized under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), the event brings together approximately 1,500 women Self-Help Group (SHG) entrepreneurs and Lakhpati Didis from 34 states and union territories showcasing products through more than 650 stalls. The mela features regional textiles, handicrafts, natural and processed foods, and other rural products, with dedicated spaces for business learning, institutional support, and enterprise development.
The event supports the Lakhpati Didi initiative, which aims to help women achieve sustainable household income of at least ₹1 lakh annually. The government had initially targeted creating 2 crore Lakhpati Didis in August 2023, raised this to 3 crore in the Interim Budget 2024-25, and achieved this milestone by December 2025. In February 2026, the target was further enhanced to 6 crore Lakhpati Didis, with emphasis on sustaining income gains and enterprise growth through market access and branding.
The SARAS program has evolved significantly since its inception in 1999, when the first National SARAS Mela was organized in Delhi with approximately 65 beneficiaries. To date, 117 National SARAS Melas have been conducted with annual sales exceeding ₹200 crore. States and union territories additionally organize a minimum of two state-level SARAS Melas annually, bringing the national average to around 50 events per year.
The Vijayawada mela features several specialized pavilions including the Lakhpati Didi Pavilion showcasing women earning more than ₹10 lakh annually (including some exceeding ₹1 crore), the Learning and Knowledge Pavilion for workshops on packaging, branding, e-commerce and social media marketing, and the Convergence Pavilion connecting entrepreneurs with institutions including NABARD, FICCI, CII, ITC, Hindustan Unilever, Amazon, Flipkart, ONDC, Government eMarketplace (GeM), and TRIFED. The Demonstration Pavilion offers live demonstrations of traditional production methods including pottery, needlework, and mirror-work embroidery.
The India Food Court comprises 50 food stalls featuring regional cuisines prepared by more than 200 first-generation women food-service entrepreneurs from over 28 states and UTs, offering dishes ranging from Gol Gappe and Chaat to regional specialties like Litti Chokha from Bihar, Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, Mushroom Pitha from Assam, and Vana Sundari from Kerala. The event also includes cultural showcases of traditional art forms, crafts, textiles, music, and dance from participating regions.
Digital integration is a key component, with UPI transactions enabling cashless payments throughout the food court, though coupon-based cash payment facilities remain available for elderly citizens and visitors preferring cash. The eSARAS platform provides ongoing online market access beyond physical events, and a dedicated SARAS Mela Digital App introduced in 2025 supports SHG nominations, attendance management, and event information sharing. The event is supported by institutional partners including NABARD and NIRDPR, and aligns with the government's Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.