SARAS Exhibition in Vizag: Empowering women through enterprise

District Collector M N Harendhira Prasad announced that the SARAS (Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society) exhibition will be organised to promote the self-empowerment of women. The regional SARAS exhibition 2025 is scheduled to take place from December 15 to 26 at the grounds of Andhra University Engineering College. This event will be organised under the auspices of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), with strong arrangements in place to ensure its success. At a press conference held at the Collectorate VC Hall on Wednesday evening, the District Collector explained the details of the event.

He stated that Visakhapatnam was selected as the venue due to factors like the festive season, high public attendance, improved transportation options, and ample marketing opportunities. The main goal of this exhibition is to enhance market opportunities for products made by women in Self-Help Groups (SHGs), increase their income sources, and strengthen the livelihoods of rural women.

Exhibition Highlights:

Approximately 600 SHG women from Andhra Pradesh and several other states across the country are participating in this exhibition. A total of 250 stalls will offer high-quality products ranging from handlooms, handicrafts, sarees, shawls, carpets, bedsheets, bamboo, metal and glass products, traditional and organic food items, spices, jewellery, and home decor items. This will allow the people of Visakhapatnam to access quality products from various states of the country at affordable prices in one place. Food stalls, cultural programs, and entertainment facilities for children are being arranged.

The organisers stated that free stalls, accommodation, food, and transportation facilities are being provided to the SHG women. They further revealed that all basic amenities, including police security, CCTV surveillance, fire safety facilities, medical services, drinking water, sanitation, lighting, and generators, are being provided. 

This exhibition is being supported by NRLM, SERP, NABARD, MEPMA, RYSS, as well as government and private banks, including SBI, UBI, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, and AP Grameena Bank, along with Visakhapatnam Port Trust, IOCL, Gayatri Vidya Parishad, and other organisations.

The Collector appealed to the people of Visakhapatnam and the North Andhra districts to visit the regional SARAS exhibition in large numbers, purchase the products, encourage the self-help groups, and help in making it a success.

Later, the Collector, along with DRDA PD Lakshmipathi and other officials, unveiled the official poster.

Also read: Speed ​​up housing construction for the poor: Vizag District Collector

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