Rural Women Entrepreneurs Find National Platform At SARAS Ajeevika Mela In IITF
The govt is extending ample support to women entrepreneurs including free stalls, subsidized logistics and access to digital marketplaces.
Published : November 15, 2025 at 2:59 PM IST
New Delhi: The Ministry of Rural Development’s flagship SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2025, organised in the India International Trade Fair (IITF), is a celebration of India’s grassroots enterprise, providing rural craftswomen with exhibition space, but also credit, digital platforms, and national exposure.
Organised on the theme, "Tradition, art, craft and culture", the Mela aims to demonstrate the government’s approach to support the upliftment of rural women, by providing them a free stall, subsidized logistics, loans and providing access to digital marketplaces in order to help them go from being members of self-help groups into confident entrepreneurs.
First Big Break for Women Entrepreneurs
For many women, IITF marks the first time their craft has reached a national scale platform. For instance, Momina Begum, a jewelry artisan from West Bengal said this was her first time at the IITF.
“I never got such a big platform. We make Bengali jewellery by hand at home, and now we can sell it to people across India. The Ministry helped us a lot,” she said. For others, the mela has been transformational. A food entrepreneur from Mansa, Punjab, who brought turmeric-based panjeeri, handmade biscuits, cold-processed oils and spices, said the support extended by the government to him was beyond stall allocation.
“We are happy the Ministry chose us from Punjab. They even supported our stay in Delhi. Now we are selling our products to the whole country,” she said.
Loans Fueling Expansion and Employment
Several artisans have used the Ministry’s credit support to scale their businesses. Sita, an Aari embroidery vendor from Kashmir, told ETV Bharat the platform not only boosted sales but expanded her market permanently.
“Last year many customers contacted me from different states to buy more. This exposure transformed my business,” she said. Suta received a Rs 1.5 lakh loan, which she used to purchase raw materials and produce more stock for the Mela. As her business grew, she employed 12 other women. “This stall has given employment to my whole group, not just me,” she added proudly.
e-SARAS: Taking Rural Craft Online
To ensure year-round income for SHG artisans, the Ministry has also developed the e-SARAS digital marketplace.
Devratt, Manager of the platform, explained how the model secures consistent earnings, “We procure products directly from SHG women and pay them upfront. If an item sells well, we reorder it. Customers can buy these products online throughout the year. This gives artisans steady, lifelong livelihood support.”
The platform helps artisans who gain visibility at IITF convert footfall into sustained digital demand.
Craft, Culture and Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Artisans from 31 states and UTs have brought thousands of products to the Mela, ranging from handloom saris and bamboo craft to organic spices and traditional snacks. The initiative plays a crucial role in promoting Aatmanirbhar Bharat, strengthening rural livelihoods, and advancing the government’s ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign.
This year's Mela promotes the 'Lakhpati Didi' initiative, a flagship project developed to assist rural women in generating a minimum of Rs 1 lakh per year to many lakhs in maximum. Stall spaces are delegated according to states where Lakhpati Didis exist in great numbers, indicating the government's commitment to economic empowerment at the grassroots level.
On display is a large rural bazaar
Handicrafts: From bamboo arts and water hyacinth products in Assam, Madhubani paintings and Sikki art of Bihar, terracotta and metal products of Haryana, to jute handbags from West Bengal, the stalls contain a wide variety of regional inspired products. The Sabai handicrafts of Odisha, wooden toys from Gujarat and Goa, jewellery from Karnataka and decorative items from the Northeast are also available.
Handloom: Visitors can find a variety of silk and cotton saris, woollen shawls from Himachal and Kashmir, Kantha stitched fabrics from Bengal, exclusive saris from Telangana and Kerala, leather craft from Rajasthan and handloom bedsheets from Uttar Pradesh.
Food Products: The artisans can be said to have a huge variety of organic pulses, and rice and honey from UP, spices and coffee from Kerala, Mahua Laddoos from Chhattisgarh, tea from Sikkim, cashew and gram flour from Jharkhand and herbal products from Uttarakhand.
A Platform That Sustains Livelihoods
Every stall in the Mela represents the story of a woman who is using skill and tradition to build financial independence. For many, IITF is not just a market, it is a launchpad for stable income, digital discovery and long-term growth.
By providing interest-free or low-interest loans, logistical support, free stalls, national exposure, and now a robust online marketplace, the Ministry of Rural Development is ensuring that India’s rural craftswomen move from local fairs to national and global visibility.
With strong footfall expected throughout the fair, SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2025 continues to stand as a testament to how empowering rural women can revitalise traditional crafts and strengthen the rural economy, while carrying forward India’s cultural legacy.
The initiative, artisans say, is helping fulfil the Prime Minister’s vision of a self-reliant rural India, where every skilled woman can aspire to become a Lakhpati Didi. The fair is taking place from November 14 to 27 being part of the 44th India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Bharat Mandapam’s Halls 8, 9 and 10, and features over 300 women artisans selling handmade products at around 150 stalls.
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