New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) As many as 900 women entrepreneurs from 28 states are participating in ‘SARAS Aajeevika Mela-2026’ – a grand fair of ‘Lakhpati Didis’ - being held in Gurugram under the leadership of Union Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, an official said on Tuesday.

The Mela, which promises to present colours of the country’s rural traditions, folk arts, and women’s entrepreneurship, is being organised at the Leisure Valley Park Ground located in Sector-29 from February 10 to February 26, said an official statement.

Over 450 stalls have been set up at the fair premises, offering everything from Kashmir's Pashmina in the north to Tamil Nadu's silk in the south, and from Rajasthan's embroidery in the west to Assam's bamboo crafts in the east, all under one roof, it said.

Swati Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, told media persons that 10 crore women in the country are currently organised under the “Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood Mission”.

She also stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a target of 3 crore Lakhpati Didis, of which 2.9 crore Didis have become Lakhpati Didis by December 2025, and this target will be achieved in the near future.

Sharma highlighted an important financial aspect, stating that the honesty and economic progress of Self-Help Group women has increased their confidence in the banking sector.

She shared that the NPA (non-performing asset) of Self-Help Groups in various states has dropped to less than 2 per cent, which is a testament to the fact that rural women are repaying their loans on time and becoming skilled in financial management.

During the press conference, several successful women entrepreneurs shared their experiences and success stories.

Many women recounted how they once had no source of income, but after joining self-help groups and taking advantage of government schemes, they are now not only supporting their families but also providing employment to other women.

The "Lakhpati Didi Pavilion" at the fair showcases the stories of such empowered women.

One of the main attractions of this year’s SARAS fair is the ‘Knowledge and Learning Pavilion.’ Special workshops will be held daily for women entrepreneurs. In these sessions, women will be taught the intricacies of packaging, branding, preparing business proposals, and social media marketing, said the statement.

--IANS

rch/dan