Saras Mela initiative playing key role in meeting target of creating two crore 'Lakhpati Didis': Official

New Delhi, Nov 16 (PTI) The Saras Mela initiative has come a long way in empowering rural women and their self-help groups and is playing an important role in meeting the target of creating two crore 'Lakhpati Didis', a senior official said on Thursday.

Formally inaugurating the fair showcasing rural handicrafts at the India International Trade Fair here, Rural Development Secretary Shailesh Kumar Singh said, 'This is the 25th year of Saras Mela. I am hopeful that we will sell products worth at least Rs 10 crore here.' The Saras Melas are playing an important role in fulfilling the target of creating two crore 'Lakhpati Didis', a central government scheme for skilling rural women to help them achieve the target of earning at least Rs 1 lakh in a year.

Singh congratulated the women participants from across the country and said it is because of their hard work that Saras has established its unique identity at national and international levels.

The fair allows rural artisans to market their products directly to customers without intermediaries, ensuring fair prices for their hard work.

The Rural Development Ministry, in collaboration with the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, has been organising Saras fairs for the past 25 years, benefiting millions of rural women with employment opportunities and marketing skills.

This year, around 165 stalls have been set up with more than 330 women participating from 28 states. Online registration has been introduced for the convenience of the participating women, according to the ministry.

The fair, which will be on till November 27, has products from 28 states and union territories, including Patola sarees from Gujarat, woolen products from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, organic food products and wooden products from Karnataka and Telangana, and Palash products from Jharkhand. PTI AO SMN