Exhibition of Schemes in Maha Kumbh

• 18 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

Recently, an exhibition was organised in the Mahakumbh Mela on the implementation of important schemes by the Central Government and the Uttar Pradesh Government. 

Key Points  

• About the exhibition: 
  • This exhibition was organized by the Rural Development Department of the Government of India and the Rural Development Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. 
  • Through this an attempt has been made to depict the implementation of various schemes and the changing environment of the rural areas through them.  
• The important schemes among them are: 
  • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(MGNREGA): Under MGNREGA, various development works were carried out in rural areas such as Amrit-Sarovar, soak pit, rain water harvesting, construction of drains, tree plantation,etc. which changed the face of the rural area and led to development.  
  • National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM): Through Saras Haat of NRLM, women's livelihood was enhanced by promoting their products.  
    • Programs like BC Sakhi and Drone Sakhi showed improvement in the economic and social life of women 
  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural): The goal of changing the face of housing in rural areas and giving every family its own pucca house was achieved through model houses under this scheme. 
  • Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY): Under PMGSY, rural areas with a population of more than 250 are connected with all-weather roads. 
  • Integrated Watershed Management System 
  • Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin 
• Under the MNREGA scheme, various development works were carried out in rural areas such as Amrit-Sarovar, soak pit, rain water harvesting, construction of drains, tree plantation,etc. which changed the face of the rural area and led to development.  

Saras Haat 

• About: 
  • It is a programme to transform rural India in general and the lives of rural women in particular. 
  • During the Mela, workshops on product packaging and design, communication skills, social media publicity and Business to Business marketing will be organised to educate the rural self-help groups and craftsmen. 
• Organiser: 
  • It is an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) organised by the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART). 
  • CAPART is an autonomous body set up by the Ministry of Rural Development to interface between the government and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) that seek to improve the quality of life in India's rural areas. 
• Objective: 
  • To bring the rural women Self Help Groups (SHGs) under one platform so that they can showcase their skills, sell their products, and help them build linkages with bulk buyers. 
  • Through participation in SARAS Aajeevika Mela, these rural SHG women will get vital national level exposure to understand the demand and taste of urban customers. 

Kumbh Mela 

• In the year 2025, Maha Kumbh Mela is being organized in Prayagraj from 13 January to 26 February 2025, in which millions of pilgrims are coming every day as a symbol of spiritual purification, cultural celebration and unity. 
• The word 'Kumbh' is derived from the metal 'Kumbhaka' (sacred pot of the nectar of immortality). 
• It is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims during which the participants take a bath or dip in the holy river. This congregation takes place at 4 different places, namely: 
  • On the banks of the Ganga at Haridwar . 
  • On the banks of the Shipra River in Ujjain . 
  • On the banks of the Godavari (South Ganga) at Nasik . 
  • At the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical invisible Saraswati in Prayagraj