Chhath Puja Generates Over ?50,000 Crore in Trade Across India: CAIT

New Delhi — The grand festival of Chhath Puja has driven trade worth more than ?50,000 crore nationwide, according to estimates by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) released on Tuesday.

CAIT’s post-festival assessment found that over 10 crore people across India participated in Chhath celebrations this year, creating significant economic activity across several states.

Bihar led the trade surge with business worth approximately ?15,000 crore, followed by Delhi at ?8,000 crore and Jharkhand at ?5,000 crore, the report noted.

The findings are part of CAIT’s broader study on India’s “Sanatan Economy,” which examines consumer spending during major festivals and the wedding season.

CAIT Secretary General and Member of Parliament Praveen Khandelwal said that Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh (Purvanchal region) remained the focal points of Chhath celebrations, drawing massive gatherings along riverbanks and ponds.

However, Delhi and the NCR region also witnessed strong festive trade, driven by the large Purvanchali community. The Delhi government constructed around 1,500 ghats and invested heavily in infrastructure, sanitation, and security measures to accommodate devotees.

Khandelwal added that states like West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan also saw robust economic activity, while non-traditional regions such as Odisha, Karnataka, and Telangana recorded brisk sales due to celebrations by migrant communities.

The main commodities sold during Chhath included bananas, sugarcane, coconuts, rice, grains, sweets (like thekua and laddoos), and puja essentials such as baskets, diyas, flowers, and clay utensils. There was also a rise in demand for services related to ghat construction, lighting, sanitation, and boat rides.

Khandelwal noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for Swadeshi (indigenous) products and recent GST rate reductions played a crucial role in boosting festive spending.

Local markets across the country launched “Swadeshi Chhath” campaigns, promoting traditional artisans, bamboo basket makers, and jaggery producers — helping drive sales of locally made goods.

He added that the momentum from the Prime Minister’s GST Savings Festival, which had already boosted Diwali trade, continued during Chhath Puja, with both festivals together helping stimulate overall consumer demand across sectors.

With inputs from IANS