Saras Aajeevika Mela 2024

• 15 Oct 2024

Why in News?  

• Recently, the Saras Aajeevika Mela 2024 began in Gurugram, showcasing rural products and promoting women empowerment through self-help groups (SHGs) from across India.

Key Points 

• Saras Aajeevika Mela: 
  • Its aim is to provide a platform for rural artisans and SHG women to showcase and sell their products, including handicrafts, handlooms, organic products, and traditional foods. 
  • The fair is organized by the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. 
  • The mela acts as a marketing channel where rural producers can connect directly with urban consumers, helping them increase their income and expand market reach. 
  • The event significantly contributes to women empowerment by providing opportunities to rural women entrepreneurs to exhibit their craftsmanship on a larger scale. 
  • Initiatives like the Saras Mela are aligned with the government’s broader objectives of strengthening rural economies and promoting vocal for local under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. 
  • The initiative is part of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission 

• About: 
  • It is a Centrally Sponsored Programme, launched by the Ministry of Rural Development in 2011. 
  • It aims to eliminate rural poverty through the promotion of multiple livelihoods and improved access to financial services for the rural poor households across the country. 
• Functioning: 
  • It involves working with community institutions through community professionals in the spirit of self-help which is a unique proposition of DAY-NRLM. 
  • It impacts livelihoods by 
    • Mobilizing rural households into SHGs. 
    • Organizing one-woman member from each rural poor household into SHGs 
    • Providing training and capacity building to SHG members 
    • Providing access to financial resources from their own institutions and banks. 
• Sub Programs: 
  • Mahila Kisan Shashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP): It aims to promote agro-ecological practices that increase women farmers’ income and reduce their input costs and risks. 
  • Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP): It aims to support entrepreneurs in rural areas to set up local enterprises. 
  • Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY): It was launched in August 2017, to provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services to connect remote rural villages. 
  • Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY): It aims at building placement-linked skills of the rural youth and placing them in relatively higher wage employment sectors of the economy. 
  • Rural Self Employment Institutes (RSETIs): DAY-NRLM, in partnership with 31 Banks and State Governments, is supporting Rural Self Employment Institutes (RSETIs) for skilling rural youth to take up gainful self-employment.