The Gujarat government is setting up 195 dedicated stalls for women associated with Sakhi Mandals at religious fairs across seven districts during the Shravan month, giving rural self-help group members a direct channel to sell their products to pilgrims and devotees. The initiative, running from 26 August to 7 September 2025, is part of the state's broader push to expand market access for women under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

What the Shravan Festival Initiative Covers

Branded the 'Shravan Festival' initiative, the programme spans fairs and religious events in Rajkot, Ghela Somnath, Porbandar, Gir Somnath, Devbhumi Dwarka, Bhavnagar, and Narmada district. Stalls will carry food products, handicrafts, handlooms, traditional clothing, puja materials, home-decor items, and other locally made goods produced by Sakhi Mandal members.

The Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company Ltd (GLPC), operating under the state's Rural Development Department, will provide stalls free of charge. The government will additionally arrange accommodation, meals, and reimburse travel expenses so that participating women bear no out-of-pocket costs.

District-wise Stall Allocation

Porbandar has the highest allocation with 65 stalls, followed by Rajkot with 40 stalls at the Race Course fair (2–6 September). Gir Somnath and Devbhumi Dwarka will each receive 20 stalls, as will the Nishkalank Mahadev fair in Bhavnagar. Ghela Somnath — a historic Shiva temple in Jasdan taluka, Rajkot district — and Nilkanthdham, Poicha in Narmada district will each host 15 stalls. The Ghela Somnath fair opens on 26 August and runs for five days.

Connecting to 'Vocal for Local' and 'Lakhpati Didi'

The programme is designed to reinforce two flagship government campaigns: 'Vocal for Local', which promotes domestically produced goods, and 'Lakhpati Didi', which aims to help rural women earn at least ₹1 lakh annually. Financial assistance cheques will also be distributed to Sakhi Mandal women at the fairs as a direct incentive.

Beyond the fair-season push, the state government says it provides interest-free loans for equipment needed to produce handicraft items, along with free skills training to help rural women become economically self-reliant.

Broader Context: Rural Women and Self-Help Groups

Sakhi Mandals are women's self-help groups operating under the DAY-NRLM framework, a centrally sponsored scheme that channels credit and market linkages to rural households. Gujarat's decision to embed these groups into high-footfall religious fairs reflects a wider strategy of using existing cultural gatherings as ready-made retail platforms — reducing the marketing burden on producers who often lack urban distribution networks.

The initiative comes under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with officials framing it as a step toward strengthening women's economic participation in rural Gujarat. How effectively the stall revenues translate into sustained income beyond the festival season will determine the programme's longer-term impact.