What happened: Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manoj Kumar Pandey opened a three day district Saras Mela on the Reform Club lawn in Raebareli on Sunday, 1 November 2026. The fair runs until Tuesday, 3 November, under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, News Nation Bharat reports. At the event, 30 new anganwadi workers from the Unchahar assembly area got appointment letters. They come from Unchahar block (9), Jagatpur (3), Rohania (3), Deenshah Gaura (2) and Dalmau (13). One person got a compassionate appointment letter in the Panchayati Raj Department. Annaprashan and godbharai ceremonies were held, and a van to spread awareness against stubble burning was flagged off. Chief Development Officer Anju Lata, Chief Medical Officer Dr Manoj Kumar Shukla, Deputy Commissioner Labour Pramod Singh, District Development Officer Varsha Singh, DRDA Project Director Munesh Chandra and Basic Shiksha Adhikari Rahul Singh were among the officials present.
Why it matters: The fair gives rural women in self help groups a market in the city just before Diwali. Dainik Jagran reports that 18 group stalls sell diyas, cow dung diyas, Ganesh and Lakshmi idols, candles, decorations and millet foods. Women who have left illegal liquor making also run stalls. About 26 departments and banks have set up stalls too, including the health department, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, the Skill Development Mission and the district employment office. Visitors can buy festival goods and ask about schemes, loans and jobs in one place.
Honest opinion: Fairs like this help when sales continue after the last day. Many groups sell well during the festival week and then struggle to find buyers. Officials could help more by linking the groups to shops, online stores and government buying. Reports do not yet give sales figures, and these would show whether the fair worked. Confidence: medium.
What you should do: Visit the Reform Club lawn by Tuesday, 3 November, to buy Diwali goods made by local women. Carry some cash, as small stalls may not take digital payment. If you run or want to join a self help group, ask the block mission staff at the fair about training and bank loans. Job seekers can check the employment office stall.
Sources
News Nation Bharat, Manisha Kumari, Raebareli, 1 November 2026, https://newsnationbharat.com/raebareli-saras-mela-2026-manoj-kumar-pandey-inauguration/
VIP News 24×7, Raebareli, 1 November 2026, 8:08 PM IST, https://www.vipnews24x7.com/national-news/grand-inauguration-of-saras-mela-in-raebareli
Dainik Jagran, Amit Mishra, Raebareli, 31 October 2026, 11:09 AM IST, https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/raebareli-saras-mela-raebareli-shg-women-to-sell-diwali-products-crafts-40422538.html
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