With sales exceeding Rs 83 lakh in 38 municipalities, Gujarat’s Swadeshi Mela, a statewide shopping festival, is progressing swiftly towards its March 15 deadline. Organized under the Gujarat Urban Livelihood Mission, the initiative provides a platform for rural and urban artisans, self-help groups, and small traders to showcase and sell indigenous products. By March 15, Swadeshi Fairs are set to take place in all 152 municipalities in the state.
More than 1,500 stalls have been allocated to self-help groups, over 1,400 to street vendors, around 1,200 for food and refreshments, and more than 1,650 to other artisans selling indigenous goods as part of the preparations. The ongoing fairs have already started in 38 municipalities, including zones like Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat, and Vadodara, attracting over one lakh visitors and generating sales surpassing Rs 83 lakh.
Officials highlight the increasing public involvement in the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative through these figures. The success of the plastic-free ‘Swadeshi Festivals’ held in 16 cities from Dussehra to Diwali last year, with over 40.50 lakh visitors and sales exceeding Rs 10 crore, has paved the way for this current initiative. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to promote indigenous products aligns with the aim of building a self-reliant India, supported by Gujarat’s various schemes like Gujarat Atmanirbhar Yatra, G-Maitri Yojana, and Mahila Udyog Sahay Yojana to empower artisans and small businesses.
The Swadeshi Fairs not only serve as trading platforms but also as a means to boost the local economy by creating more opportunities for small producers and vendors in urban areas of the state.
