"First National SARAS Mela Held Outside Delhi-NCR"
DAY-NRLM
government's flagship mission for rural poverty reduction through women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
SHG (Self-Help Group)
a small community group of rural women who save and lend collectively
Rural India has many traditional skills in handicrafts, handlooms and food processing. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are small community groups of rural women who save money and lend to each other. DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission) is the government's main scheme to reduce rural poverty. It works through SHGs and their federations to build women's livelihoods and financial inclusion. The mission helps women gain skills, get credit, use new technology and find livelihood opportunities.
Making a good product is not enough for a rural entrepreneur. She also needs buyers, market information and room to grow. This is where SARAS Melas come in. These are exhibition-cum-sale events where SHG entrepreneurs sell products directly to consumers and institutional buyers. The first National SARAS Mela was held in 1999 in Delhi with around 65 participants. Since then, the model has spread to national, state, regional and district levels. It has become a key part of DAY-NRLM's market-linkage strategy.
A related initiative, the Lakhpati Didi scheme, pushes SHG households toward a fixed income outcome. It builds on the same SHG network. It tries to convert livelihood support into durable household income growth. Together, SARAS Melas and Lakhpati Didi represent two ends of the same chain: production support and market access.
SARAS Melas are organised by the government under DAY-NRLM, under the Ministry of Rural Development. They are not only exhibitions. They provide a space to understand what consumers want, build business contacts and explore new markets. Besides physical fairs, a digital platform called eSARAS lets rural women sell products online. This extends market reach beyond any single event.
A Lakhpati Didi is an SHG member whose household earns at least ₹1 lakh annually on a sustainable basis. Income is assessed over at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles. This means the income must repeat, not be a one-time gain. The scheme got national push in August 2023. …
Consider the following statements regarding the 'Lakhpati Didi' initiative:
1.It is implemented under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
2.A Lakhpati Didi is an SHG member whose household earns at least ₹1 lakh annually on a sustainable basis.
3.The sustainability of income is assessed over at least four agricultural seasons or business cycles.
How many of the above statements are correct?
With reference to the National SARAS Mela, consider the following statements:
1.The first National SARAS Mela was held in 1999 in Delhi.
2.The 2026 Vijayawada edition is the first National SARAS Mela held outside the Delhi-NCR region.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The target for the number of 'Lakhpati Didis' has been revised upward over time. Arrange the following in correct chronological order:
1.Target raised to three crore
2.Target of two crore announced
3.Target raised to six crore
4.Three crore target achieved
'SARAS Mela' events are organised under which of the following programmes?
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