President Murmu Says Rural Women Are Now Wealth Creators at SARAS Mela

From Lakhpati to Crorepati

The President said women’s self-help groups have made a strong contribution to the rural economy, with membership rising to more than 10 crore women in about 12 years. She said the ambition should go beyond the “Lakhpati Didi” label. “In the coming days, the goal should be to make them Crorepati Didis,” she said.

“In the past, women relied on others for even the smallest things; today, however, they have not only become self-reliant but have also reached a point where they can serve as a source of support for others,” she added.

The President also visited the stalls and interacted with Lakhpati Didis.

SHE Marts in Every District

Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said SARAS Melas will now be organised in states across the country, not just Delhi, and that SHE Marts will be set up in every district for large-scale marketing of products made by SHG women. He said the Centre would adopt Andhra Pradesh’s model for marketing SHG products, noting the state has 11 lakh SHG groups.

Why It Matters: The Market Is the Missing Link

Turning more SHG women into Lakhpati, and eventually Crorepati, Didis depends less on making products and more on selling them. Periodic fairs offer limited reach. In Gujarat, for example, around 8,500 SHGs earned about ₹40 crore through 236 Saras Melas over five years, roughly ₹47,000 per group over that entire period, according to state ministers.

That is why the promise of permanent SHE Marts in every district matters. A year-round retail outlet could offer far steadier income than occasional fairs. Its success will depend on location, product quality, pricing and links to online platforms.

Who Was There

Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and Union Ministers K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and Kamlesh Paswan attended the event.

President Murmu has set a bigger goal for India’s rural women: from earning lakhs to building crores. Reaching it will depend on giving their products a permanent place in the market.

With inputs from IANS.