Overview

• The Urban Development Department’s SOP mandates full state financing for religious melas with at least five lakh attendees, allocating between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore based on crowd size.
• District magistrate-led committees are being formed to vet proposals, oversee infrastructure planning and logistics, and hold biannual meetings on resource deployment.
• Funding will draw on CSR contributions, urban local body revenues and multiple departmental budgets, with districts able to seek additional support from the Urban Development Department.
• Organizers must prepare detailed project reports and engage third-party agencies for pre- and post-mela verification of safety, sanitation and crowd-management measures.
• The policy seeks to standardize mela administration, enhance transparency and safety, and preserve the fairs’ role as economic engines in rural and semi-urban areas.