GUNTUR: The week-long Saras Mela concluded on Sunday in Guntur, earning praise from officials and participants for its scale and spirit.
Guntur District Collector A. Thameem Ansaria said the mela had instilled “great inspiration” and showcased Guntur as a “mini India.” He noted that 343 stalls were set up, generating sales worth more than `25 crore.
The Collector credited Union Minister of State for Rural Development Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar for facilitating the event and thanked public representatives, poverty alleviation officials, police, sanitation workers and the media for their support. “The mela proved that even large-scale programmes can succeed with team spirit,” he remarked.
Prathipadu MLA Dr Burla Ramanujaneulu hailed the mela as a symbol of women’s empowerment and praised the Collector’s meticulous organisation. He said the event reflected confidence and pointed to the national goal of making women lakhpatis by 2047. Joint Collector Ashutosh Srivastava added that the success was due to quality products brought by self-help groups.
Municipal Commissioner K. Mayur Ashok said the mela gave a strong boost to women entrepreneurs, while DRDA Project Director V. Vijayalakshmi emphasised that Saras provided a national-level market and eliminated middlemen, enabling DWCRA women to sell directly. She reported that nearly 14 lakh people visited the fair. Skill training programmes were also conducted to help women evolve as entrepreneurs.
Delegates from Odisha, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Ladakh and Kargil praised the organisation, calling it “excellent.” On the occasion, the District Collector presented mementoes to officials from various departments who contributed to the success.