Kudumbashree is a special dual-purpose programme implemented by the Government of Kerala under the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM) launched on May 17, 1998.
The name Kudumbashree in Malayalam means 'family of prosperity.'
Basic Facts
- Launched on – May 17, 1998.
- Kudumbashree Day – May 17.
- Inaugurated by – A.B. Vajpayee.
- Inaugurated in – Kottakkunnu (Malappuram).
- First launched in – Alappuzha.
- Started functioning on – April 1, 1999.
- Motto – ‘‘Reaching out families through women & reaching out societies through families’’(സ്ത്രീകളിലൂടെ കുടുംബങ്ങളിലേയ്ക്ക്കുടുംബങ്ങളിലൂടെ സമൂഹത്തിലേയ്ക്ക്).
- Funded by – NABARD & Central Govt.
- Registered under (as Society) – Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act of 1955.
- Basic Unit – അയൽക്കൂട്ടം (Neighborhood group, NHGs).
- No of members per unit – 10-20.
- Membership – Open to all adult women (limited to one membership per family).
- Most numbers of Kudumbasree units are in – Thiruvananthapuram.
- The lowest number of Kudumbasree units is in – Wayanad.
- First Transgender Kudumbasree unit – Manaswini (Kottayam).
- Children's Neighbourhood Groups – BalaSabha (from BPL families with UNICEF support).
- Kerala model Kudumbasree Project adopted in – Tripura.
- Brand ambassador of Kudumbasree's organic farming project – Manju Warrier.
Background
It was set up in 1997 under E.K. Nayanar Ministry (CPI–M) following the recommendations of a three-member Task Force appointed by the State government.
The programme is implemented through the organizational structure of Community development societies (CDS) under the Local Self Government.
Kudumbashree, built around three critical components – microcredit, entrepreneurship, and women empowerment, now covers more than 50 percent of the households in Kerala and is considered as the largest women empowerment organization in India as well as Asia.
The main objectives of this remarkable SHG (Self-Help Group) are:
- Poverty Alleviation,
- Women Empowerment,
- Local Economic Development.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) under the Central Govt. recognized Kudumbashree as the State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in 2011.
Structure & Organization
Kudumbashree has a tripartite system or a three-tier structure. The different levels of Kudumbashree structure are as follows:
- Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs) or Kudumbasree Ayalkkoottam at the lowest level.
- Area Development Societies (ADS) or Kudumbasree Ward Samithi at the middle level.
- Community Development Societies (CDS) or Kudumbasree Panchayath Samithi at the local government level.
The coordinators are elected at each level. There are 5 coordinators in each NHG, 7 or more at the ADS ward level, and around 21 at the apex CDS level.
- Chairman – Minister for Local Self Government (Minister of Social Welfare, Panchayat, since 2011).
NHG Structure
Each NHG has a minimum of 10 members and each member has a vote. Through voting, they elect a five members Executive Committee:
- President,
- Secretary &
- 3 Volunteers (for Health and Education, Income generation & Infrastructure).
These members are elected for a term of 3 years. These NHG coordinator inturn elects ADS coordinators and so forth. Reservation is involved in the election process for Dalit and Adivasi women.
The Kudumbashree mission has three regional centers in 14 districts. They are as follows:
- Northern Region – Kannur, Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Malappuram & Wayanad.
- Central Region – Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Palakkad & Thrissur.
- Southern Region – Alappuzha, Kollam, Pathanamthitta & Thiruvananthapuram.
Loan schemes
Based on the type of project selected, they are given loans for the scheme. The maximum amount of loan is 2.5 lakhs which may fluctuate according to the scheme and banks usually lend 95% of the loan amount to Kudumbasree units.
Subsidies are given for these loans, the maximum subsidy amount will be Rs 1.25 lakh or 50% (whichever is lower). Members have to pay margin money of 5% of the total loan amount.
Then these NHG (Neighborhood Group) members are given special skill training and help for the type of projects they are undertaking.
Members are also given training in various aspects of the production, handling, and marketing of products to facilitate the smooth running of the proposed project.
Important Social Welfare Schemes of Kudumbashree
| Scheme | Description |
|---|---|
| Amrutham (അമൃതം) | Project to improve the nutritional status of children between 6 months & 3 years (6 മാസത്തിനും 3 വയസ്സിനും ഇടയിലുള്ള കുട്ടികളുടെ പോഷക നിലവാരം മെച്ചപ്പെടുത്തുന്നതിനുള്ള പദ്ധതി ) |
| Ashraya (ആശ്രയ) | Project to identify and rehabilitate destitute families (നിരാലംബരായ കുടുംബങ്ങളെ കണ്ടെത്തി പുനരധിവസിപ്പിക്കാനുള്ള പദ്ധതി) |
| Bhavanashree (ഭവനശ്രീ) | Micro housing Loan Project (ഭവന നിർമാണ പദ്ധതി) |
| BUDS (ബഡ്സ്) | Special school for differently-abled children (മാനസികവും ശാരീരികവുമായ വെല്ലുവിളി നേരിടുന്ന കുട്ടികൾക്കായി പ്രത്യേക സ്കൂൾ) |
| Cafeshree (കഫേശ്രീ) | Kudumbashree Hotel (കുടുംബശ്രീ ഹോട്ടൽ) |
| Food on Wheels | Project to distribute food in vehicles. |
| Harithashree (ഹരിതശ്രീ) | Lease Land for Farming (കൃഷിക്കായി ഭൂമി പാട്ടത്തിനെടുക്കുക) |
| Jeevanam Upajeevanam (ജീവനം ഉപജീവനം) | Kudumbasree scheme for making small enterprises profitable (ചെറുകിട സംരഭങ്ങൾ ലാഭകരമാക്കുന്നതിന് കുടുംബശ്രീ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന പദ്ധതി) |
| Kudumbasree Travels (കുടുംബശ്രീ ട്രാവൽസ്) | Taxi Service of Kudumbasree for a safer journey (സുരക്ഷിത യാത്രയ്ക്കുള്ള ടാക്സി സർവ്വീസ്) |
| Pasu Sakhi (പശുസഖി) | Self Employment Scheme for dairy farming (ക്ഷീരകർഷകർക്കുള്ള സ്വയം തൊഴിൽ പദ്ധതി ) |
| Samagra (സമഗ്ര) | Development & strengthening the overall production and distribution network for agricultural products (കാർഷിക ഉൽ‌പന്നങ്ങളുടെ മൊത്തത്തിലുള്ള ഉൽ‌പാദന വിതരണ ശൃംഖലയെ വികസിപ്പിക്കുകയും ശക്തിപ്പെടുത്തുകയും ചെയ്യുക) |
| Santhwanam (സാന്ത്വനം) | Identification and monitoring of lifestyle diseases in the society. (സമൂഹത്തിലെ ജീവിതശൈലി രോഗങ്ങളെ തിരിച്ചറിയുന്നതിനും നിരീക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനുമുള്ള പദ്ധതി) |
| Snehitha (സ്നേഹിത) | 24X7 Gender Help Desk of Kudumbasree for Assistance to Victims of Violence (അക്രമത്തിന് ഇരയായവർക്കുള്ള സഹായത്തിനായി കുടുമ്പശ്രീയുടെ 24 മണിക്കൂർ ജെൻഡർ ഹെൽപ്പ് ഡെസ്ക്) |
| Theertham (തീർത്ഥം) | Scheme for providing one liter of fresh water for one rupee. (ഒരു രൂപയ്ക്ക് ഒരു ലിറ്റർ ശുദ്ധജലം ലഭ്യമാക്കുന്ന പദ്ധതി) |
| Thelima (തെളിമ) | Waste Management Scheme (ഖരമാലിന്യ സംസ്കരണ പദ്ധതി) |
| Yuvashree (യുവശ്രീ) | Scheme for encouraging self-employment for youth and providing assistance to new enterprises. (യുവജനങ്ങളെ സ്വയംതൊഴിൽ പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിച്ച് പുതിയ സംരഭങ്ങൾക്ക് സഹായം നൽകുന്ന പദ്ധതി) |
- Sevika – A new Micro-Enterprise mobile marketing scheme set up in Kollam district (Pathanapuram) now functions to ensure the availability of facial masks in the Corona crisis.
Samagra Scheme
The Samagra scheme aims at the development & strengthening of the overall production and distribution network for agricultural products thus empowering women and eradicating poverty.
There are overall 18 projects under the Samagram project. Some of them are as follows:
- Nivedyam (നൈവേദ്യം) – Aims to supply Pooja Kadali required for prayer rituals to the Guruvayoor Temple in Thrissur.
- Madhuram – Apiculture and Honey Marketing project of Pathanamthitta district.
- Thirumadhuram/Pineshree – Pineapple cultivation and marketing project of Ernakulam.
- Ksheerasagaram – Cow Rearing and diary farming project of Idukki.
- Saphalam – Cashew Project of Kasaragod.
- Goat Village – Goat farming project of Kannur.
- Marari Mushroom Project – Spawn and mushroom cultivation project of Alappuzha.
- Sandal Production – Kozhikode.
- Crispy Fries – Palakkad.
Kudumbasree's Media Presence
- Drama Troupe – Rangasree (രംഗശ്രീ).
- Radio Progamme – Meena (മീന).
- Online Radio – Radio Shree (റേഡിയോ ശ്രീ).
- initiative started as part of Kudumbashree's silver jubilee celebrations.
- Web Portal – Sreesakthi (ശ്രീശക്തി).
📝SideNotes:
- Kudumbasree Radio programme was inaugurated by – M.K. Muneer.
- Full form of "KAASS" – Kudumbasree Accounts and Audit Service Society.
- Minister for Local Self Government as of June 2020 – A. C. Moideen.
- Kerala Women's Commission – 1996.
- Kerala State Women Development Corporation – 1988.
- Kudumbasree literally means – Prosperity of family. (Previous Year PSC Questions: Assistant - Finance (SR for SC/ST only), 2015)
- The first executive director of Kudumbasree mission? James Varghese. (Previous Year PSC Questions: Assistant - Finance (SR for SC/ST only), 2015)
- Identify the three-tier structure of Kerala Kudumbashrees women community network in hierarchical order. (Previous PSC Questions: HSST (Junior) History, Higher Education, 2018)
- (A) Neighborhood Groups – Block Development Societies – Area Development Societies
- (B) Gram Sabha – Panchayat Samithi – Zilla Parishath
- (C) Gram Panchayat – Panchayat Samithi – Zilla Parishath
- (D) Neighborhood Groups – Area Development Societies – Community Development Societies
- The recognition for innovative practices of Kudumbasree was awarded by UN in 1995 is – We the People. (Previous Year PSC Questions: Assistant - Finance (SR for SC/ST only), 2015)