Nine-day SARAS expo in Mangaluru from February 20

A nine-day national-level exhibition of the Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society (SARAS) will be held at Karavali Maidan in the city from February 20.

Organised by the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat in association with the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, the Karnataka State Livelihood Mission, and Mangaluru City Corporation, products made by select self-help groups (SHGs) of women across the country will be exhibited and sold at the fair.

The fair will remain open from 10.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m., and the entry will be free. The exhibition will have over 100 stalls where the products will be sold, in addition to separate food stalls.

The products on sale include wooden dolls from Channapatna, Kinnala toys from Koppal, Molakalmuru sarees, Ilakal sarees, silk sarees, various attractive fabrics, bags made of fiber products, spice products, grain products, value-added coastal products, various types of Khadi products, products made from banana fiber, home decor items, Ayurvedic products, traditional items, household items, innovative design jewellery, and food products.

The ‘Akka-Cafes’ (Akka Food Courts), supported by the government, will serve dishes like Giramit/Churumari Mandakki, Jolada Khadak Bisirotti, Holige, Belgaum Kunda, Dharwad Peda, Mysore Pak, Mangaluru Neerdose, Kharbat, Kadabu, and non-vegetarian dishes like Roti with Chicken Sukka, Ragi Mudde-Chicken Kari Biryani, fresh juices, and other dishes from outside the State, a release from the zilla panchayat said.

Various training and lectures have been organised daily from 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. to support women in undertaking business activities. There will be cultural programmes in the evening.

Women SHGs in Karnataka

It said that as many as 3.05 lakh rural SHGs covering 32 lakh families and 39,000 urban SHGs covering 3.90 lakh families have been formed in the State under Karnataka State Livelihood Mission. Women are being continuously empowered by providing them with the necessary capacity building and skills training, as well as help with branding, packaging, value addition, and marketing systems.

Women SHGs are being provided with a market for their products through village-level fairs, monthly fairs at the taluk level, district fairs, and other State and national fairs.

The release said that 23 ‘Akka-Cafes’ are already operating in the State and 39 more cafes are under construction. Steps are being taken to establish a total of 200 cafes. About five to six women from SHGs are being employed for livelihood under each Akka-Cafe.