CM Bhupendra Patel launches 136 Sakhi Mandal Gram-Haat in Rajkot
Synopsis
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel inaugurated 136 Sakhi Mandal-operated Gram-Haats and launched women-centric schemes at Racecourse Ground, Rajkot on 10 October 2026, expanding the state's rural women-led commerce network in a single large-scale event.
Key Takeaways
136 Gram-Haats operated by Sakhi Mandals (women's SHGs) were inaugurated simultaneously at a single event.
The venue was Racecourse Ground, Rajkot , on 10 October 2026 .
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended and addressed the event in person.
Multiple women-centric welfare schemes were also formally launched at the same occasion.
The Gram-Haat model gives rural SHG women a structured marketplace, cutting out middlemen from local commerce.
Sakhi Mandals have been central to Gujarat's rural livelihood and micro-credit ecosystem for years.
A hundred and thirty-six village markets, each owned and run by women — that is the scale of what Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated at Racecourse Ground, Rajkot, on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The event marked the formal launch of 136 Gram-Haats operated by Sakhi Mandals — self-help groups of rural women — alongside the rollout of a suite of women-centric welfare schemes.
136 village markets, one inauguration
The Gram-Haat model hands rural women direct control over local commerce — a fixed marketplace where SHG members can sell produce, handicrafts, and goods without depending on middlemen. Launching 136 such haats simultaneously signals a scaled push to embed women-led enterprise into Gujarat's rural economic fabric. CM Patel attended the event live, sharing the occasion in real time on social media with the Gujarati caption 'Sakhimandal dvara sanchalit 136 Gram-Haat na lokarpan' — 'inauguration of 136 Gram-Haats operated by Sakhi Mandals.'
Women-centric schemes flagged off alongside the haats
Beyond the market inaugurations, the Rajkot gathering also served as the launch pad for multiple women-focused government schemes, details of which are expected to be formally communicated to beneficiaries through district-level machinery. Holding the twin launch at a single high-visibility venue — the iconic Racecourse Ground in Rajkot — amplifies reach and signals political priority for women's economic empowerment ahead of the grassroots delivery cycle.
Sakhi Mandals, Gujarat's network of rural women's self-help groups, have been a cornerstone of the state's rural livelihood architecture for years, channelling micro-credit, skill training, and market linkages to women in villages. The Gram-Haat initiative extends that architecture into the commerce layer, giving SHG members a structured, government-backed selling platform.
With 136 new village markets going live in a single stroke and fresh welfare schemes announced on the same day, Gujarat's women-led self-help ecosystem just got a measurable new chapter — and Rajkot just became its dateline.
Point of View
Anchoring the event at Rajkot, a major urban centre, gives the rural initiative maximum visibility. The bundling of additional women-centric schemes with the Gram-Haat inauguration is a classic delivery-politics move: a single high-footfall event becomes the launchpad for multiple policy narratives. For the BJP in Gujarat, demonstrable women-led economic wins at the grassroots reinforce a key plank of the party's governance messaging ahead of any electoral cycle.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Gram-Haat in Gujarat?
A Gram-Haat is a government-backed village marketplace where members of Sakhi Mandals (women's self-help groups) can sell produce, handicrafts, and goods directly to consumers, removing the need for middlemen.
What is a Sakhi Mandal?
A Sakhi Mandal is a rural women's self-help group in Gujarat that facilitates micro-credit, skill training, and livelihood support for its members through a collective structure.
How many Gram-Haats were inaugurated by CM Bhupendra Patel on 10 October 2026?
136 Gram-Haats operated by Sakhi Mandals were inaugurated at the event held at Racecourse Ground, Rajkot.
Where was the Gram-Haat inauguration event held?
The event was held at Racecourse Ground, Rajkot , Gujarat.
What other schemes were launched at the Rajkot event alongside the Gram-Haats?
Several women-centric welfare schemes were formally launched at the same event, though their specific names are to be communicated through district-level channels.
