President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the National SARAS Livelihoods Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada today. For the first time, the national-level fair is being held outside the Delhi-National Capital Region.
The National SARAS Mela 2026, being held in Vijayawada, provides a platform for rural women from Self-Help Groups across the country to showcase their products, reach wider markets and strengthen their livelihoods. Organised by the Union Ministry of Rural Development in association with the Andhra Pradesh government, the fair brings together around 1500 women entrepreneurs and artisans. More than 650 stalls display traditional handloom products, handicrafts, organic goods and household items.
The mela also features regional food, live demonstrations of traditional crafts and training in packaging, branding and online marketing. National SARAS Mela highlights the Lakhpati Didi initiative, which aims to help rural women achieve sustainable incomes and financial independence.
