Regional SARAS Mela from Oct 4 to 13

The 4th Regional SARAS Mela 2025 will be held at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) from October 4 to 13.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain held a meeting with officials from various departments at Bachat Bhawan here. He said to ensure the smooth execution of the fair, it would be overseen by mela officer-cum-Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Amarjeet Bains and assistant mela officer-cum-Employment Generation and Skill Development Training Officer Jeevandeep Singh.

He also constituted committees comprising officials from different departments and assigned specific responsibilities.

The Deputy Commissioner elaborated that tasks such as stall allotment, daily sales reporting from stalls, promoting food processing through dedicated stalls, daily ticket sales, ensuring a consistent supply of clean drinking water and arranging first aid and medical facilities at the mela and accommodation sites had been assigned to nodal officers. The police administration would manage security and traffic arrangements and a control room will be established at the mela venue.

He said the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, would handle cleaning, tent set-up, and water sprinkling at the mela site. Nodal officers had also been appointed to guide participants and artistes arriving from other states for cultural programmes, with suitable accommodation arrangements for performers. The event will also feature amusement rides. Committees from various departments had been formed and duties had been assigned to ensure all necessary arrangements were in place.

The Deputy Commissioner highlighted that over 1,400 artisans, craftsmen, traders and skilled individuals from various states would participate in the mela, with thousands of visitors expected daily for shopping and entertainment. Over 600 stalls will be set up by artisans and craftsmen from across the country.

Jain emphasised that it was a matter of pride for Ludhiana to host artisans and artistes from different states. During the 10-day mega event, performers from various states would showcase their culture and heritage, making the mela a vibrant celebration of diversity. He noted that Ludhiana was hosting the mela for the fourth time, following successful editions in 2012, 2017 and 2023. He expressed confidence that the relentless efforts of the district administration will ensure the success of the event.