Gujarat: Swadeshi Mela commences in 38 municipalities

In a major push to strengthen the ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative, the Gujarat government has launched Swadeshi Mela across cities and towns under the Gujarat Urban Livelihood Mission, drawing enthusiastic public participation and generating significant sales.So far, Swadeshi Mela have commenced in 38 municipalities across the state, recording footfall of over one lakh visitors and sales exceeding ₹83 lakh. The fairs are being organised as part of a larger statewide initiative to promote indigenous products and empower Self-Help Groups (SHGs), artisans, handicraft workers and small traders.
The initiative aligns with the vision of PM Narendra Modi, who has consistently urged citizens to embrace indigenous products under the mantra of ‘Vocal for Local’ and to work towards building an Atmanirbhar Bharat. Inspired by this vision, the Gujarat government under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has introduced several schemes to support rural and urban entrepreneurs.Programmes such as ‘Gujarat Atmanirbhar Yatra’, ‘G-Maitri Yojana’ and ‘Mahila Udyog Sahay Yojana’ are providing renewed momentum to local industries and artisans. Additionally, the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department is facilitating Swadeshi Mela statewide to create a direct marketplace for indigenous products.
Earlier, during the Dussehra to Diwali festive period, plastic-free Swadeshi Festivals were organised in 16 cities across Gujarat. These events witnessed participation from over 40.50 lakh visitors and recorded sales exceeding ₹10 crore, highlighting strong public support for locally made goods.Building on this success, the government has planned to organise Swadeshi Mela in all 152 municipalities across the state by March 15, 2026. Under the initiative, more than 1,500 stalls have been allotted to Self-Help Groups, over 1,400 stalls to street vendors, around 1,200 food stalls are being set up, and more than 1,650 stalls have been allocated to artisans for selling indigenous products.The fairs are currently underway in municipalities across the zones of Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara. Officials said the encouraging response demonstrates that citizens are actively associating with the Vocal for Local movement.

(State Correspondent)