Murmu inaugurates National SARAS Mela, highlights role of women’s SHGs

President Droupadi Murmu said rural women had become wealth creators and drivers of development while inaugurating the National SARAS Mela in Vijayawada. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted plans for SHE Marts and stronger market access for women-led self-help groups

Vijayawada: President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday that rural women were no longer mere beneficiaries of government schemes but had become wealth creators and were emerging as drivers of development.

Inaugurating the National SARAS Mela, organised by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and the Andhra Pradesh government in Vijayawada, she said the Centre had given a distinct momentum and direction to the empowerment of rural women through the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative.

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“Increased participation in various modern sectors, such as digital services and renewable energy, has opened up new avenues for skill development for our rural sisters. Today, rural women are no longer merely beneficiaries of government schemes; they have become wealth creators and are emerging as drivers of development,” she said.

She said that, under the comprehensive vision of Antyodaya, the Centre had placed women-led institutions at the heart of the Rural Livelihood Mission. As a result, women were leading the transformation of villages.

She said women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) had made significant contributions to the rural economy. In about 12 years, the number of women associated with these groups had increased to more than 10 crore.

The President said the goal should not be limited to making women ‘Lakhpati Didis’; in the coming years, efforts should be made to help them become ‘Crorepati Didis’.

“In the past, women relied on others for even the smallest things; today, however, they have not only become self-reliant but have also reached a point where they can serve as a source of support for others,” she said.

President Murmu said the benefits of development should reach every village and every home to achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047. She said innovative SHGs and SARAS Melas had to play a leading role in this regard.

The President noted that SARAS Melas had established themselves as progressive rural marketplaces. They had strengthened direct connections between rural women entrepreneurs and consumers across the country. The events had also given women opportunities to connect directly with urban markets and improve their marketing capabilities.

The President visited the SARAS stalls and interacted with Lakhpati Didis.

Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted initiatives undertaken by the Centre and the Andhra Pradesh government to support women in SHGs.

“Our Lakhpati Didis have done wonders. Now Lakhpati Didis are not just Lakhpatis anymore; they’ve become Millionaire Didis too,” he said.

“The SARAS Mela will no longer be limited to just Delhi; SARAS Melas will also be organised in different states across the country, so that our sisters can get a proper platform. Moving forward from this, we will also establish SHE Marts in every district,” he said.

Chouhan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu were committed to ensuring the financial self-reliance of women in SHGs.

“Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is further strengthening DWCRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) women by providing them with technical support. There are 11 lakh SHG groups in Andhra Pradesh. The state leads the way in transforming SHG members into ‘Lakhpati Didis’,” he said.

He said the ‘SHE Marts’ initiative would facilitate large-scale marketing of products manufactured by women in SHGs.

“We will implement the Andhra Pradesh model for the marketing of products made by women. We envision a significant contribution from women in Self-Help Groups towards the creation of a Viksit Bharat,” he said.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Ministers K Ram Mohan Naidu, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and Kamlesh Paswan, and Secretary of the Union Ministry of Rural Development were present.