National SARAS Mela in Vijayawada records ₹5 crore sale in eight days

The National SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada has recorded cumulative sales of ₹5 crore through the sale of two lakh products as of Tuesday. More than 70,000 visitors attended the fair on Vijayadashami.

Sales touched ₹1.27 crore on Tuesday alone, with 48,370 products sold on the occasion of Vijayadashami. The festival, which draws large number of devotees to the Sri Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri, contributed to the festive atmosphere in the city and the increased footfall at the fair, according to officials.

Organised from October 13-31, the mela provides a marketing platform for women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across the country to showcase handicrafts, handloom products, textiles, food items and other regional specialities. The direct interaction between producers and consumers is expected to help SHG members widen their market reach and generate additional income, they said, in a press release on Wednesday. 

Awareness programme

Separately, the Society for Employment Generation and Enterprise Development in Andhra Pradesh (SEEDAP) conducted an awareness programme on rural enterprises and youth skill development on Monday.

NTR District Job District Manager Nukani Prasanth Kumar Naidu explained skill training, employment opportunities, enterprise expansion, market access, branding and registration of rural businesses on the Udyam portal to help entrepreneurs access formal credit, subsidies and government benefits.