Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu joined President Droupadi Murmu at the inauguration of the National SARAS Mela 2026 in Vijayawada, highlighting the state’s efforts to promote women-led enterprises and expand market access for rural products.
In a statement, Naidu said the Ministry of Rural Development was hosting the National SARAS Mela outside the Delhi-NCR region for the first time. The event has brought together more than 650 self-help groups from across the country in Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu said the state government was working through the Swayam AP initiative to connect products made by women associated with DWCRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) groups with wider e-commerce platforms and global markets.
The initiative aims to help women entrepreneurs expand their businesses, reach more customers and build sustainable livelihoods.
Naidu said the government’s vision was to make every village a centre of enterprise and enable every woman to become a creator of wealth.
He linked the initiative to the broader goals of Swarna Andhra and Viksit Bharat, emphasising the importance of rural entrepreneurship and women’s economic empowerment.
The National SARAS Mela provides a platform for self-help groups to showcase and market products, helping rural artisans and entrepreneurs connect with wider markets.
The participation of groups from across India also offers an opportunity to highlight the country’s diverse traditional products and locally made goods.
