Rajasthan CMO: National Saras Mela to be held in Jaipur this December
Synopsis
The Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan announced the Rajeevika National Saras Mela will be hosted in Jaipur this December, giving rural self-help group women from across India a national marketing platform under the NRLM framework.
Key Takeaways
The National Saras Mela will be held in Jaipur in December 2026 , organised under Rajeevika .
The fair will provide women from self-help groups (SHGs) across India a national-level platform to showcase and sell their products.
Rajeevika (Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad) was constituted in 2011 to implement the National Rural Livelihoods Mission in Rajasthan.
The Saras Mela is a key market-access mechanism under NRLM's federal design, hosted rotationally by state governments.
The announcement was made by the Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan and tagged CM Bhajan Lal Sharma .
Thousands of rural women entrepreneurs from across India are set to find a national stage this December, as Jaipur prepares to host the National Saras Mela — a marquee marketing fair that puts self-help group products in front of a nationwide audience. The Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan announced the event on 14 November 2026, tagging Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and framing it as a flagship moment for women-led livelihoods in the state.
The post, shared with the hashtag #आपणो_अग्रणी_राजस्थान ('Our Pioneering Rajasthan'), stated that the Rajeevika National Saras Mela would provide women from self-help groups (SHGs) across the country a 'national platform' — spotlighting both the fair's reach and Rajasthan's intent to position itself at the centre of rural women's empowerment.
What Rajeevika and the Saras Mela actually do
Rajeevika — formally the Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad, constituted in 2011 — is the state's nodal body for implementing the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), launched by the central government the same year. Its core work: organising rural women into self-help groups, linking them to savings and credit, and channelling their micro-enterprises toward viable markets.
The Saras Mela is the market end of that chain. Under NRLM's federal design, state governments periodically host these national-level fairs so SHG products — handicrafts, textiles, food items, agri-products — can break out of local markets and reach buyers from across India. For many participating women, it is the largest commercial platform they will ever access.
Why Jaipur, and why it matters for women entrepreneurs
Jaipur, Rajasthan's capital, brings natural advantages to such an event: an established craft and textile culture, strong domestic and international tourist footfall, and the logistical infrastructure to handle a multi-state fair. Hosting the national edition — not merely a state-level one — amplifies both the visibility and the potential sales volume for participants.
State governments that host the national Saras Mela typically see it double as a soft-power statement about their commitment to women's economic participation, and Rajasthan under CM Bhajan Lal Sharma is clearly leaning into that signal. The fair draws SHG delegations from multiple states, making it as much a networking and cross-pollination event as a sales fair.
Specific dates within December, the precise number of participating groups, and any state-level policy commitments expected at the event are yet to be announced. Watch for those details as the fair draws closer — they will tell the fuller story of Rajasthan's rural-livelihood ambitions this season.
Point of View
The fair serves a dual purpose: delivering a tangible market-access benefit to SHG women while generating political goodwill in the rural women voter base ahead of future electoral cycles. The choice of Jaipur — with its craft economy and tourism draw — also reflects a broader state strategy of integrating rural micro-enterprises into larger commercial circuits. If participation and sales numbers from the December event are strong, Rajasthan could press for a more permanent or recurring role in the NRLM's national outreach calendar.
NationPress
14 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Rajeevika National Saras Mela?
The Rajeevika National Saras Mela is a national marketing fair for products made by women in self-help groups across India, organised under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. It gives SHG women a large commercial platform to sell handicrafts, textiles, food items and other micro-enterprise products to buyers from across the country.
Where and when will the National Saras Mela 2026 be held?
The National Saras Mela 2026 will be held in Jaipur, Rajasthan in December 2026. The Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan announced this on 14 November 2026; specific dates within December are yet to be confirmed.
What is Rajeevika and what does it do?
Rajeevika, or the Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad, is the state-level nodal body constituted in 2011 to implement the National Rural Livelihoods Mission in Rajasthan. It organises rural women into self-help groups, links them to credit, and supports their micro-enterprises.
What is the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)?
The National Rural Livelihoods Mission was launched by the central government in 2011 to build and strengthen self-help groups of rural women across India, improve their access to financial services, and promote sustainable livelihoods. Each state implements it through a dedicated state-level society like Rajeevika.
Who is associated with the Saras Mela announcement from Rajasthan?
The announcement was made by the official Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan account on X, with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma tagged in the post, indicating his government's direct association with the event.
