The Sampadak Express News Desk
The National SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada has recorded cumulative sales of ₹5 crore from two lakh products as of Tuesday, with a single-day peak of ₹1.27 crore and 48,370 items sold on Vijayadashami, according to organisers, as reported by The Hindu.
More than 70,000 visitors attended the fair on Vijayadashami. Officials said the festival crowd in the city, driven by devotees visiting the Sri Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri, contributed to the festive atmosphere and higher footfall at the venue.
Organised from October 13 to 31, the mela provides a direct marketing platform for women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across India to showcase and sell handicrafts, handloom products, textiles, food items and other regional specialities. The direct interaction between producers and consumers is expected to help SHG entrepreneurs widen their market reach and increase incomes, organisers said in a press release on Wednesday.
Separately, the Society for Employment Generation and Enterprise Development in Andhra Pradesh (SEEDAP) conducted an awareness programme on rural enterprises and youth skill development on Monday. NTR District Job District Manager Nukani Prasanth Kumar Naidu briefed participants on skill training, employment opportunities, enterprise expansion, market access, branding, and registering rural businesses on the Udyam portal to access formal credit, subsidies and government benefits.
The National SARAS Aajeevika Mela continues at Punnami Ghat until October 31.
