The Kudumbashree’s Onam fairs will be launched across the State on Tuesday.
The Onam melas, which aim at providing locally made products at affordable prices, will be held in all 1,070 community development societies (CDS) of the Kudumbashree across the State in association with local self-government institutions. Besides these, fairs will be held at the district level too. Arrangements for these have been completed, a statement issued by the Kudumbashree here on Friday said.
The Kudumbashree will provide ₹1 lakh to organise the district-level fairs, ₹15,000 for those at the urban CDS level, and ₹12,000 for the rural CDSs.
Moreover, the government has issued an order that local self-government institutions can sanction an amount up to ₹1 lakh from their own funds for the Onam fairs.
Products from Kudumbashree’s microentrepreneurs and joint liability farming groups will be available at the fairs. These include foodgrain, food products, and farm produce.
The highlight of the fairs will be flowers such as marigolds, jasmine, and lotus grown by Kudumbashree’s women farmer groups.
Competitions
A good number of the CDSs are organising competitions, such as Athapookalam, tug of war, and Thiruvathirakali, in connection with the Onam fairs. Cultural programmes will also be held by the Balasabha members.
The fair in the State capital will be held at the Police Training Grounds, Thycaud, till August 28. Besides 50 product stalls, it will have special Onam sales counters. A food court serving a host of dishes and cultural programmes are the other attractions of the fair, which will be inaugurated by Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh. Minister for Transport Antony Raju will preside over the function.
