Kudumbashree
Kudumbashree – State Poverty Eradication Mission
Kudumbashree
Kudumbashree - State Poverty Eradication Mission is an innovative system launched by the Government of Kerala (Department of Local Self-Government) in 1998 with the aim of poverty alleviation and women empowerment . Its activities are implemented through a community-based organizational system formed under the leadership of local self-government institutions (Panchayat/Municipality).
▣ Organizational structure
• Neighborhood Group (NHG): 10–20 members, one female member over 18 years of age.
• Area Development Society (ADS): Federation of neighborhood groups at the ward level.
• Community Development Society (CDS): At the Panchayat/Municipality level. Office bearers are democratically elected women; Local Self Government members lead as the Patron/Evaluation Committee Chairperson.
◎ Main goals
• Poverty alleviation – first priority.
• Economic empowerment – through income, entrepreneurship, and microfinance.
• Social development – in areas such as health, education, and poverty-free Kerala.
• Women's empowerment – by ensuring leadership, participation in decision-making, and gender justice.
✦ Main areas of activity and projects
1. Economic Development/Livelihoods
• Micro-enterprises: Over one lakh micro-enterprise groups; operating in diverse sectors such as Cafe Kudumbashree, Janakiya Hotels, Nutrimix, Haritha Karmasena, construction groups, apparel groups, etc.
• Bank Linkage & Investment-Loan: Bank linkage loans to lakhs of neighborhood groups; self-help investment-loan activities.
• Marketing: Products are listed on platforms like ONDC for online marketing and marketing facilities are provided.
• Agriculture / Animal Husbandry / Value Addition: Activities like collective farming, farmer JLGs, processing, branding, fairs etc.
2. Social development
• Destitute-free Kerala: Activities to ensure identification, rehabilitation and comprehensive support of poor/destitute families.
• Buds, Bala Sabha: Activities aimed at the education, protection, and development of children.
• Relief / Rehabilitation: Activities to provide livelihood assistance and rehabilitation support to disaster-affected families.
3. Women's empowerment
• Women's empowerment activities through interventions such as self-study on women's status and the friendly gender help desk .
• Skill Development & Employment: Skill training and employment opportunities are being provided to rural youth through DDU-GKY 2.0.
• Leadership Training: Developing capacity in democratic governance, microfinance and livelihood management at CDS/ADS/NHG levels.
4. Other important interactions
• PMAY-LIFE (Kerala): Kudumbashree is functioning as the nodal agency.
• SVEP / SRLM-NRLM: Provides support to rural entrepreneurship and livelihood activities.
• Marketing interventions: Marketing interventions are carried out through schemes like 'Onakani' to control prices and distribution during the Onam season .