Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday, 28 May 2026 visited the Saras booth at the Secretariat complex in Jaipur, where he sampled traditional buttermilk and urged residents across the state to increase their intake of chaas, ORS, and other liquids as the intense nautapa (nine-day summer heat period) grips the region.

Context

Posting on X, CM Sharma wrote that he 'enjoyed the refreshing and flavourful traditional chaas of Rajasthan' at the Saras booth. He directly linked the visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Vocal for Local' mantra, stating that his government is 'continuously working to promote local products.' The post comes during the annual nautapa period, when north-western India, and Rajasthan in particular, experiences some of its most extreme temperatures.

The Chief Minister appealed: 'I urge the people of the state to consume more chaas, ORS, and other liquids, and protect themselves and their families from the heat and loo (hot winds).' The advisory reflects standard public-health guidance issued by state authorities each summer in the region.

Policy Backdrop

The Vocal for Local campaign was launched by the Government of India in 2020 as part of the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat package, encouraging Indians to prioritise domestically produced and regionally branded goods. State governments across the country have since aligned local marketing initiatives with this messaging, spotlighting products such as dairy items to build rural supply chains.

Saras is the flagship dairy brand of the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF), which aggregates milk from producer cooperatives spread across the state. CM Sharma described Saras as 'a symbol of the hard work, trust, and self-reliance of lakhs of milk-producing families of Rajasthan,' calling on citizens to adopt local products to 'strengthen our farmers, livestock rearers, and rural economy.'

Stakeholders and Impact

The dairy cooperative network represented by Saras connects lakhs of rural households dependent on livestock rearing for income. Boosting consumer demand for Saras products — including buttermilk, which sees a natural seasonal spike — directly supports farmgate milk prices and cooperative dividend payouts for member families.

For ordinary residents, the public-health dimension of the post carries immediate relevance. Nautapa heat conditions in Rajasthan have historically led to heatstroke cases, and state health departments routinely distribute ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) and advise increased fluid intake during this window. Positioning Saras chaas within that advisory doubles as both a health message and a demand-generation effort for the cooperative.

What's Next

The state government's dual push — heat-safety advisories and Vocal for Local promotion — is likely to continue through the summer months. Analysts will watch whether Saras booth footfalls and buttermilk sales register a measurable uptick following the Chief Minister's visible endorsement. District-level distribution of ORS through Saras outlets and any further heatwave-related public communications from the administration will be key indicators of how the campaign translates into on-ground action.