Chhath Puja Drives ₹50,000 Crore in Trade Nationwide: CAIT Report

New Delhi, October 29: The grand celebration of Chhath Puja has generated business worth over ₹50,000 crore across India this year, according to an assessment by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

The traders’ body said its post-festival study revealed that more than 10 crore people participated in Chhath festivities nationwide, creating a massive surge in trade and services.

Bihar accounted for the largest share of business activity, with transactions worth about ₹15,000 crore, followed by Delhi (₹8,000 crore) and Jharkhand (₹5,000 crore). The data forms part of CAIT’s ongoing research on India’s “Sanatan Economy”, which analyses consumer spending during festivals and wedding seasons.

“Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, particularly the Purvanchal region, remained the main centres of Chhath celebrations. However, Delhi-NCR also witnessed a major business boom due to its large Purvanchali population,”
said CAIT Secretary General and MP Praveen Khandelwal.

The Delhi government reportedly built around 1,500 ghats and invested heavily in infrastructure, sanitation, and security arrangements to accommodate the massive turnout of devotees.

Beyond traditional states, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan also recorded strong business activity. Even in metros and southern states such as Odisha, Karnataka, and Telangana, local markets saw brisk sales as migrant communities marked the festival with enthusiasm.

CAIT said major items sold during the festival included bananas, sugarcane, coconuts, rice, grains, sweets like thekua and laddoos, and essential puja materials such as baskets, diyas, flowers, and clay utensils. Demand also spiked for services like ghat construction, lighting, sanitation, and boat rides.

Khandelwal credited the success of the festive season to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swadeshi (indigenous products) campaign and recent GST rate reductions, which he said encouraged consumers to buy locally made goods.

“Local markets across India organised ‘Swadeshi Chhath’ campaigns promoting traditional artisans, bamboo basket makers, and jaggery producers. The twin impact of Diwali and Chhath Puja, backed by the Prime Minister’s GST Savings Festival, has significantly boosted consumer demand across sectors,”
Khandelwal added.