PANJIM: For the first time since the annual SARAS fairs began in Goa, the State government has handed over the management of the 10-day festival to an event planner through Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC). The need for an event management agency was felt following lapses being pointed out during the past fairs.
“The SARAS fair has been outsourced to GTDC for organising it in a more attractive manner in both the districts, by appointing an event management agency. GTDC had e-tendered for a firm and Sean Advents has won the bid to handle the event,” Rural Development Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar said on Wednesday announcing that the fair would be held from December 13 to 23.
The dependency on GTDC is such that cultural shows from different states, which are held every evening, will also be organised by the Corporation.
Around 200 stalls have been set up at the exhibition site at Darya Sangam in Kala Academy, out of which 100 have been allotted to self help groups from various states while the other 100 will be allotted among Goan self help groups, government departments, banks and non self help group artisans.
Nine states – Arunachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Telangana, Odisha, Rajashthan and Punjab – have confirmed their participation. Salgaonkar said they expect more states to participate.
In another move, Rural Development Department has moved a proposal to the government to hold similar fairs at a taluka level to encourage participation from rural areas.
Also, the department will build a Goa Bazaar Complex in Merces at an estimated cost of Rs 56 crore, which the minister said would be a major tourist attraction. The foundation stone will be laid within the next two months, he said.
