VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the Sale of Rural Artisans Society (SARAS) Mela–2026 in Guntur on Tuesday and visited the stalls set up by DWCRA women, interacting with them.
The Chief Minister said that 1.13 crore DWCRA women in the State have mobilised funds worth Rs 26,000 crore and created a corpus fund of Rs 5,200 crore.
In 2024–25, DWCRA groups availed bank loans amounting to Rs 46,590 crore.
He congratulated Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar for organising such an exhibition in the State, which is usually held in the national capital, New Delhi.
The CM said the SARAS Mela would provide branding and market linkages for traditional handicrafts, handlooms and local food products. He reiterated that in 2024–25 alone, DWCRA women borrowed Rs 46,590 crore from banks and stressed the need to boost DWCRA groups.
Naidu said the coalition government is working with a focus on both welfare and development. Under the Talliki Vandanam scheme, Rs 10,090 crore is being credited annually into the bank accounts of mothers of 67 lakh students. Through the Stree Shakti scheme, the government has introduced free bus travel for women. Under the Deepam scheme, three free gas cylinders are being provided every year.
He reaffirmed that the government is moving forward with the goal of achieving a poverty-free State.
Earlier, the Chief Minister handed over a cheque of Rs 1,375 crore as loans to DWCRA groups under the Stree Nidhi scheme and sanctioned Rs 2,171 crore as loans to self-help groups through SERP.
After inspecting handloom stalls, he purchased a saree for his wife, Bhuvaneswari.