Srinagar, Oct 22: Women entrepreneurs from several states will get an opportunity to sell their products directly to customers in Srinagar as a ten-day Saras Aajeevika Mela begins at Polo View Park on October 25.
The exhibition, being organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM), will have around 70 to 80 stalls featuring handicrafts, handloom products, traditional jewellery, household items and regional food.
According to officials, women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from Telangana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Tripura, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, among other states, will participate in the event.
Visitors will be able to purchase products such as Pochampally Ikat sarees, Banarasi textiles, Chikankari embroidery, jute products and traditional handicrafts directly from the participating entrepreneurs.
The mela will also have a food court where women running small food businesses will serve traditional dishes from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
Officials said the exhibition is intended to help rural women find customers beyond their local markets and generate income through direct sales.
Besides selling products, participants will attend training sessions on improving product quality, packaging, marketing and business management.
Mission Director JKRLM Dr. Shubhra Sharma said the event would help women entrepreneurs understand customer preferences and explore opportunities to expand their businesses.
She said every product displayed at the exhibition represented the work and skills of women who had established small enterprises through the SHG movement.
The mela will also feature cultural programmes during its ten-day run.
The exhibition is scheduled to conclude on November 3.
