Kashmir will host a 12-days trade fair– “SARAS Mela” offering a pan-India handicraft and handloom products to the shopaholics starting from September 10, 2015.This was revealed in a meeting chaired by Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mr. Abdul Haq, here on Thursday.The Minister was briefed about the arrangements being made by the Rural Development Department for the mega festival.The meeting was attended by Secretary Rural Development Department, Mr. Khurshid Ahmad Shah and other officers of the Department.The Minister was informed that the Mela will have on sale an assortment of goods such as home decor materials, sofa sets, carpets, apparels, accessories, footware, beauty products, kitchenware and condiments and furnishing products besides other things.
Stressing on coordinated efforts of all the departments, the Minister directed the officers that every efforts should be made to make the event successful and a wide publicity shall be given so that the common masses are benefited. He said that such melas are imperative for providing proper marketing facilities to various products manufactured by the Self Help Groups.“Local artisans get market and an opportunity to interact with various other self help groups coming from various parts of the country”, he said adding that this in turn will help the artisan to further strengthen their trade and explore marketing opportunities. He also said that the Mela helps petty artists like me to reach a larger marketplace so that products are easily marketed and sold.Haq hoped that the Mela will provides a platform to the rural artisans of valley and get their indigenously made products marketed and displayed by the support of government, besides exhibition will help the sellers to earn good profit.