National SARAS Mela 2026 Achieves ₹12.8 Crore Sales with 12 Lakh Visitors
The Ministry of Rural Development, in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, successfully concluded the first National SARAS Mela outside Delhi-NCR at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada. The event brought together approximately 1,500 women entrepreneurs from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Lakhpati Didis from over 30 states and union territories, operating through 600 stalls. The mela recorded cumulative sales exceeding ₹12.8 crore and attracted over 12 lakh visitors, with daily footfall averaging 45,000-50,000 people.
Product Performance and Category-wise Sales
Handloom and handicrafts emerged as the dominant categories, accounting for 75% of total sales. The SARAS Shakti Food Court, featuring 50 stalls operated by more than 200 women entrepreneurs, generated over ₹1.9 crore in sales. The highest-grossing individual stall achieved sales of ₹15.6 lakh. The event was temporarily closed on October 28th and 29th due to Cyclone Arnab, but organizers ensured safety and seamless operations despite weather disruptions.
Dignitary Participation and Strategic Importance
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the mela on October 15, 2026, and interacted with Lakhpati Didis. Other dignitaries included Shri S. Abdul Nazeer (Governor of Andhra Pradesh), Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu (Chief Minister), Union Ministers Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Shri K. Rammohan Naidu, and Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar. The event advanced the Prime Minister's 'Vocal for Local' initiative and vision of creating six crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029 under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
Enterprise Development and Digital Integration
The mela featured a Learning and Knowledge Pavilion that conducted over 50 training sessions on enterprise development, product presentation, finance, and digital tools. NIRDPR addressed branding and export marketing, while NABARD focused on scaling SHG enterprises through finance. UNICEF introduced digital courses on using AI for small enterprise management. Digital facilitation desks achieved 100% UPI adoption and onboarded participants onto Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Flipkart Samarth, and Meesho platforms.
Institutional Support and Business Connections
Ten structured buyer-seller meets connected women entrepreneurs with corporate procurement channels including Fabindia and My e-Haat of the HCL Foundation. The Convergence Pavilion brought together 20 Central and State Government departments to facilitate access to formal credit, Udyam registration, and statutory certifications. The Entrepreneurship Development and Acceleration Programme (EDAP) recorded 3,489 attendances at expert sessions, 138 live product pitches, and achieved 15,231 Udyam registrations through the SWAYAM Helpdesk.
Sustainability Measures and Success Stories
The event incorporated eco-friendly practices including distribution of 2 lakh cloth bags, 2,000 reusable glass/clay bottles, and 800 eco-friendly dust bins. The mela showcased inspiring success stories such as Ms. Chandrakala of Lotus SHG, Tirupati, who now runs a woodcarving business with over ₹1 crore annual turnover, and Ms. Siddhi of Mahamaya SHG, North Goa, who has scaled her ethnic wear business to ₹60 lakh annual turnover with overseas orders through Instagram.