President Murmu inaugurates National SARAS Mela in Vijayawada

President Droupadi Murmu is inaugurating the National SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. This marks the first time the national-level event has been held outside the Delhi-NCR region.

Organized by the Ministry of Rural Development under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), the fair features approximately 1,000 women entrepreneurs and artisans from 34 states and Union Territories. Over 650 stalls are showcasing traditional handlooms, handicrafts, organic goods, and regional cuisine.

The event includes the launch of the ‘Lakhpati Didi Compendium’ and the ‘SARAS Shakti’ mobile application. These initiatives support the national goal of creating six crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’—women from self-help groups with annual incomes of at least one lakh rupees. The fair also provides training from industry experts on branding, packaging, and e-commerce to help rural entrepreneurs access broader markets.