By TC News Desk
Agartala, 13th March 2025: The much-anticipated Saras Mela held in Sepahijala district has come under criticism leaving an unpleasant mark on the event. Hosted from March 11 to March 13 at the Bishramganj Mini Stadium, the three-day district-level fair was organized with a significant budget of lakhs of rupees.
The mela grounds were adorned with slogans like “Let’s work together, sisters, to build a self-reliant Tripura” aiming to promote self-reliance among women. However, the event’s execution has drawn fierce criticism from women representing self-help groups (SHGs), who leveled explosive allegations against the organizers.
The SHGs were promised the opportunity to sell their homemade goods and food items at the fair, but to their dismay, stalls were reportedly allocated to street vendors selling common market items like snacks, tea, and jhalmuri right outside the SHG stalls.
Several members of these groups voiced their frustration, claiming that despite the fair’s stated goal of promoting self-reliance, the actual arrangements made it difficult for them to generate meaningful income.
Moreover, despite the hefty expenditure on decorating the venue with banners and posters, the organizers allegedly failed to effectively promote the event to the locals. Attendance at the district fair was notably lower than expected, highlighting what critics describe as a failure in publicity efforts.
