Minister of State for Rural Development & Steel, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste inaugurated the SARAS Food Festival, a confluence of taste and culture, at New Delhi today. Inaugurating the Food Festival, MoS lauded the SHG Didi’s grit and multi-dimensional skills which is being showcased through the culinary prowess at the SARAS­­­ Food Festival. He added that Prime Minister has announced from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15, 2023 his dream to enable at least 2 Crore SHG Didis as Lakhpati Didis, and initiatives like SARAS Food Festival provide another platform to help realize PM’s vision for the mission. Minister said that SARAS Food Festival will also offer cuisine of healthy millets, in its true flavor.

Speaking at the event, Secretary, MoRD, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh highlighted that the Ministry is confident that SARAS Food Festival 2023, which is in its second year now, will enjoy an even better support than last year, which provided a unique opportunity to the residents and visitors of New Delhi to get the taste and flavor of Rural India in the heart of national capital, New Delhi.

Additional Secretary, MoRD, Shri Charanjit Singh in his address stated that the overwhelming love and affection of people of Delhi, which is also a city of foodies, has inspired the ministry to organize this year’s Food Festival with even richer variety. He extended ministry’s invitation to the common people to experience rural India’s flavor at the SARAS Food Festival.

Joint Secretary, MoRD, Ms. Swati Sharma thanked the Minister for the constant guidance and support which the mission always enjoys and assured that the DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission) will move forward with even greater zeal to work on ways of enabling SHG Didis for better economic empowerment, which is proudly showcased at SARAS Food Festival as well.

SARAS Food Festival has been organized in national capital by the Ministry of Rural Development from December 01 to December 17, 2023 at the lawns of Handicrafts Bhawan, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi where people can enjoy delicious cuisine from 21 States of India and entry to the festival is free. About 150 women entrepreneurs and members of the self-help groups from across the country are participating with more than 30 stalls in this grand arrangement. Saras Food Festival provides a glimpse of Indian culture and food to the visitors where people can enjoy the delicious cuisine of 21 states along with glimpses of the culture and social fabric of the Rural India.

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