SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2026: President Murmu inaugurates it at Vijayawada
Why in the news
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the National SARAS Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, on 15 October 2026. It is the first time the national mela has been held outside the Delhi-NCR region.
Key facts
- Duration: 13 to 31 October 2026 (19 days).
- Organisers: Union Ministry of Rural Development, together with the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP); NABARD and NIRDPR are supporting bodies.
- Participants: more than 1,500 women entrepreneurs from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across 30+ States and UTs.
- Attractions: a 16-ft installation titled ‘Shakti – The Spirit of Lakhpati Didi’ and 50 food stalls.
- Dignitaries: Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan.
Theme pavilions
| Pavilion | Focus |
|---|---|
| Lakhpati Didi | Success stories of rural women entrepreneurs |
| Gyan | Training in branding, packaging, financial literacy and marketing |
| Samanvay | Networking with corporate buyers and government departments |
| Demo | Live craft demonstrations by master artisans |
About DAY-NRLM and Lakhpati Didi
The mela is held under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) of the Ministry of Rural Development, which organises rural women into SHGs. Under the Lakhpati Didi goal, the government aims to build six crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029. The eSARAS digital platform links rural artisans with e-commerce channels across the country.
Exam angle
- Venue: Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada – first SARAS Mela outside Delhi-NCR.
- Nodal ministry: Rural Development; state partner agency: SERP.
- Lakhpati Didi target: six crore by 2029.