14th edition of Gujarat's Garib Kalyan Mela to be held in September 2024

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 8 (ANI): The 14th edition of the Garib Kalyan Mela, an initiative by the Gujarat government to ensure the benefits of welfare schemes reach the underprivileged and those in remote areas, will be organized in September 2024.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state government will hold a total of 33 Garib Kalyan Melas, one in each district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently emphasized that state-implemented public welfare schemes should be easily accessible to beneficiaries.
He introduced the concept of "saturation," aiming for 100% coverage of beneficiaries under these schemes. The Garib Kalyan Mela, launched by Modi during his tenure as Gujarat's Chief Minister in 2009, was designed to provide immediate access to individual and group-oriented scheme benefits to the poor, underprivileged, and those living in remote areas.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has continued this tradition and has directed relevant departments to ensure the distribution of quality equipment assistance kits worth Rs125 crore to over 90,000 beneficiaries during the upcoming Mela. He has also suggested setting up stalls of various departments at the Mela venues to provide on-the-spot information about government schemes to those in need.
Over the 13 editions of the Garib Kalyan Mela held so far, assistance worth Rs36,800.90 crore has been provided to 1.66 crore beneficiaries through 1,604 Melas. The upcoming Mela will continue to offer benefits under various schemes, including those focused on individual welfare, human dignity, housing, education loans, healthcare, agriculture, and animal husbandry.
The Melas have also established a robust system for district-level performance review of various schemes. This detailed review process ensures that attention is focused on the remote areas of the district that may have been previously overlooked.
The direct delivery of scheme benefits to beneficiaries maintains transparency and ensures that the aid reaches the rightful recipients. Additionally, when beneficiaries interact with others and the implementing agencies at the Mela, they gain awareness of other schemes, saving time and effort.
Under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, preparations are already underway to ensure the success of the Garib Kalyan Mela in September 2024. (ANI)