First National SARAS Mela 2026 at Vijayawada Showcases Lakhpati Didi Enterprises with Turnovers up to ₹1 Crore

Key facts

• The First National SARAS Mela, organised by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and support from NABARD, NIRDPR and Kudumbashree, is being held at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada till 31 October 2026, open daily from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm.
• A Lakhpati Didi is a woman from a self-help group (SHG) household with a sustainable annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh, under the Prime Minister's vision of six crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029, supported through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• Chandrakala of Lotus SHG, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, runs a woodcarving enterprise with annual turnover over ₹1 crore, employment for over 100 members, and supplies through the Lepakshi emporium.
• Siddhi of Mahamaya SHG, North Goa, runs an ethnic wear business with annual turnover of ₹60 lakh, sending orders via India Post to Singapore, the UAE and the USA, and aims to create work for around 100 more women in Goa.
• Kunwari Barwa's farmer producer organisation in Gumla, Jharkhand, formed in 2022 with 381 members and now 1,501 members, makes ragi products with monthly sales of ₹6-7 lakh and provides regular work for over 150 women.
• Singampalli Parwathi of Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, built a cashew-processing enterprise with annual turnover of about ₹50 lakh, processing cashews into 11 grades, using loans of ₹20,000 and ₹50,000 from her farmer producer group plus ₹2 lakh from the group and ₹3 lakh under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
• President Droupadi Murmu, inaugurating the Mela, encouraged women to grow enterprises beyond the Lakhpati milestone and noted that SARAS Melas would be organised every year in different states.
• The Lakhpati Didi Pavilion at the Mela features a 16-foot installation titled 'SHAKTI - The Spirit of Lakhpati Didi'.