'Kadalolam-Orumayude Theerasangamam', organized by Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission with the aim of empowering and making the Coastal NHGs in Kasaragod district more efficient, was notable for its large participation. Cultural Programmes, Seminars, Film Screenings, Food Festivals, Awareness Classes, Children's & Adults' Gatherings and Art Evenings were held at Valiyaparamba Corniche Beach over three days from the 13 to15 December 2024.

The 'Kadalolam Theerasangamam' served as a platform to discuss the problems faced by the NHGs in the coastal region and to present suggestions. About two thousand people from the Kudumbashree NHGs in the 11 Coastal Panchayats of the district were part of the Theerasangamam.

Various Programmes such as honoring students and senior citizens who excelled in the fields of arts and sports from the coastal region and mobilization of the Sagarmala Skill Training Project were also held as part of the Kadalolam Programme.

Shri. M. Rajagopalan, MLA inaugurated the Coastal Gathering at the function held on 13 December 2024. Shri. V. V. Sajeevan, President,  Valiyaparamba Grama Panchayat presided over the function. Shri. H. Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree was the Chief Guest of the function. Ms. Baby Balakrishnan, President, District Panchayat inaugurated the Kudumbashree Home Stay in Valiyaparamba. Shri. T.T. Surendran, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission explained the project. Shri. Abbas Begum, Chairman, Kasaragod Municipality, Shri. Jean Levino Montero, Ms. Rubina Naufal, Ms. Tahira Yusuf, Ms. Sufaija Abubakar, Ms. P. Lakshmi, Ms. T. Shobha, Shri. D. Haridas, Assistant District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission, Ms. E.K. Indu, Chairperson, Valiyaparamba CDS also spoke at the function.

As part of the Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam Campaign, the Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission has prepared and made available 'Saree' bags with the aim of making this Mandala Season eco-friendly. The Kudumbashree members prepared the saree carry bags as part of the 'Saree Challenge' organized by the Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta district team in connection with the Sabarimala pilgrimage.

The first batch of these bags was handed over to the District Suchithwa Mission by Kudumbashree members at the 'Karuthalum Kaithangum' Grievance Redressal Adalat in Ranni in the presence of  Ms. Veena George, Minister for Health and Woman and Child Development, Government of Kerala and Mr. P. Rajeev, Minister for Law, Industries and Coir, Government of Kerala on 13 December 2024. The cloth bags are being distributed to pilgrims and shop owners at the Suchithwa Mission counters in Chengannur and Nilakkal.

Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission is conducting the 'Plastic Carry Bag Free Pathanamthitta' Campaign in collaboration with the District Administration. Kudumbashree is preparing 50,000 cloth bags in the first phase in collaboration with the State Bank of India to distribute cloth bags instead of plastic bags. At the CDS level, Kudumbashree NHG members and Haritha Karma Sena members visited houses and collected sarees and other suitable fabrics. The cloth bags were prepared through Kudumbashree Stitching Units. More than 80 NHG members from 15 Kudumbashree units are engaged in this work.

Mr. Pramod Narayanan, MLA, Ranni Constituency, Mr. Prem Krishnan IAS, District Collector, Pathanamthitta, Ms. Aadila. S, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission, Ms. Bindu Rekha, Assistant District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission, Mr. Shajahan C.K, Mr. Shiju M. Samson, Mr. Arjun Soman, District Programme Managers, CDS Chairpersons, Elected Representatives, and Members of Haritha Karma Sena were also present at the function.

The rehabilitation of the Mundakkai and Chooralmala landslides in Wayanad will be implemented quickly and there is no need to worry, said Shri. M.B. Rajesh, Minister for Local Self-Government, Excise Department and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala. The Minister inaugurated the Micro Plan prepared by Kudumbashree under the leadership of the District Administration at the Meppadi MSA Hall on 13 December 2024.

He said that the Micro Plan, which has been prepared comprehensively to cover all the needs and necessities of the disaster victims, is an important step forward for survival and that Kudumbashree, which undertakes action plans for the eradication of extreme poverty, has also achieved success in preparing the micro plan for landslide disaster rehabilitation in a timely manner. The Micro Plans were co-ordinated by local bodies, Kudumbashree, popular movements and government agencies, which are the hallmarks of popular interventions. The Minister also distributed MMG and PMEGP Financial Assistance from the Industries Department.

Shri. O.R. Kelu, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, Government of Kerala presided over the function. Adv. T. Siddique MLA, distributed Kudumbasree Prathyasha RF Financial Assistance. Shri. Samshad Marakkar, President, Wayanad District Panchayath distributed Self-Financing Financial Assistance from the Social Justice Department. Ms. T.V. Anupama IAS,  Special Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala presented the report. Shri. Seeram Samba Siva Rao IAS, Principal Director, Principal Directorate, Local Self Government Department presented the  Local Self-Government Action Plan and Shri. H Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree presented the Kudumbashree Action Plan. 

Shri. K. Babu, President, Meppadi Grama Panchayath co-ordinated the Local Self-Government Institutions. Ms. D.R. Meghashree IAS, District Collector, Wayanad, Ms. S. Bindu, Vice President, District Panchayath, Ms. Radha Ramaswamy, Vice President, Meppadi Grama Panchayath, Shri. B. Nazar, Chairman, Development Affairs Standing Committee, Shri. Raju Hejamadi, Chairman, Welfare Affairs Standing Committee, Shri. C. Raghavan, Member, Block Panchayat, Shri. P.K. Balasubramanian, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Wayanad District  Mission and others spoke at the function. 

Micro Plan
Micro Plans focusing on six sectors have been prepared in a manner that comprehensively assesses the needs of 4636 people from 1084 disaster-affected families and finds solutions. As part of the follow-up work on the Micro Plan, which has been approved by the District Planning Committee and Meppadi Grama Panchayat, a meeting of the local body Chairmen/Chairpersons of the areas where the disaster-affected families currently reside will be held under the leadership of the District Collector to explain the information in the micro plan and future programmes. Urgent importance is given to activities that provide livelihood opportunities to the survivors as soon as possible. For this, existing short-term projects under various departments will be utilized. If necessary, instructions will be given to the departments to prepare new projects. A project implementation unit will also be started to implement and monitor the project in a timely manner.

Comprehensive Action Plan to revive NHGs
In addition, Kudumbashree has prepared a comprehensive action plan to revive all NHGs in the landslide disaster area. NHG meetings will be held online and offline until the township is completed. Cluster meetings will be held at the ADS level every month. All members will be included in the NHGs. Social -Psychological counseling will continue with the help of the Gender team. A special loan scheme will be introduced for NHG members. Kudumbashree has prepared an Action Plan for the disaster victims, including Jeevan Deepam, Oruma Insurance, and providing a disaster relief fund of Rs. 1.5 lakhs to the NHGs in Mundakkai ward.
 
Banking Sakhis will be appointed to provide banking services. Agricultural Extension Schemes, Financial Assistance for Agricultural Machinery, Financial Assistance for starting Agricultural related Businesses, Training in Various Agriculture, and Financial Assistance in Animal Husbandry Projects are all included in the Action Plan. The survey found 568 people who need employment in the micro-enterprise sector. Projects that are accessible to all of them are also being considered. Various Self-Employment Initiatives, an Apparel Park, etc. have all been included in the Action Plan prepared by Kudumbashree for the survival and livelihood of the disaster victims.

The cheque of Rs. 53.19 lakhs collected from Kudumbashree NHG members as the Second Phase Instalment for the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) for the rehabilitation of Wayanad was handed over to Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister, Government of Kerala by Shri. H. Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree in the presence of Shri. M.B. Rajesh, Minister, Local Self-Government Department, Excise Department and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala on 11 December 2024. 

In the first phase, Rs. 20,07,05,682 was contributed to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) during August 2024. Now the total amount contributed by Kudumbashree to  Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) is Rs. 20,60,25,388

Frozen Value-Added Products have been launched in the market through Kudumbashree’s Kerala Chicken Project, which has gained wide acceptance among consumers. Shri. M.B. Rajesh, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Excise Department and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala launched the products by handing over the products to Ms. P Sathi Devi, Chairperson, Kerala State Commission for Women, Government of Kerala during the function held at Nava Kairali Hall, Secretariat Annex, Thiruvananthapuram on 10 December 2024. Products such as Chicken Drumsticks, Boneless Breast, Chicken Biryani Cut, Chicken Curry Cut and Full Chicken have been launched in the market under the brand ‘Kudumbashree Kerala Chicken’. In the initial phase, the products will be available in Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. 

The broiler chicken raised in the farms of Kudumbashree NHG members under the leadership of Kudumbashree Kerala Chicken Broiler Farmers Company will be transported to the plant of Meat Products of India operating in Koothatukulam, Ernakulam district, where they will be processed and packed. All the products will be available in quantities of 450 gram, 900 gram. By scanning the QR code included in the envelope, consumers can also understand which farm the chicken was raised in. In addition to the current marketing channels, it is planned to sell frozen chicken products in vehicles in each district under the name 'Meat on Wheels' in the future. This is expected to find a market for Kudumbashree Kerala chicken products in urban and rural areas.

The production and marketing of chicken value-added products is being initiated as part of the very extensive activities envisaged in the second phase of the project. In addition to producing at least half of what is required for the domestic market, the main goal of this phase is to increase the income of farmers.

Kerala Chicken is a project launched in the state in 2019 with the aim of providing clean chicken meat to the consumer at a reasonable price. Currently, 431 broiler farms and 139 outlets  are operating as part of the project in 11 districts. It is hoped that more women will get employment opportunities as the manufacturing and marketing of value-added products intensify.

Ms. P Sathi Devi, Chairperson, Kerala State Commission for Women, Government of Kerala, Ms. T.V. Anupama IAS, Special Secretary, Local Self-Government Department, Government of Kerala, Shri. H. Dineshan, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Governing Body Members, Kudumbashree Programme Officers and others also attended the programme.

The beneficiary selection as part of the Kudumbashree K-TIC (Kudumbashree Tribal Enterprises and Innovation Centre) Project to improve the livelihood of the youth in the indigenous area of Kerala and improve their quality of life is in progress in the districts. The beneficiaries of the K-TIC Project are 800 young women who will be identified separately from the indigenous area in all 14 districts of Kerala.

The project mainly focuses on enterprise development as a self-sufficient and long-term profitable livelihood through micro-enterprises that are started by understanding the local potential and ensuring market potential. The project envisages action programmes to enable knowledge, experience and capacity development for those who voluntarily enter the entrepreneurial sector. Kudumbashree will also ensure various ongoing support assistance to the entrepreneurs through the project, including financial assistance and incubation training.

Incubators are selected to properly implement the activities of the K-TIC Project at the field level. This incubation team is the main link in the implementation activities of the project. Incubators carry out all the important activities such as providing necessary training to mentors and beneficiaries and providing necessary facilitation for the implementation of the project. Those who have work experience in various training areas of Kudumbashree have been selected as Incubators. Skill training is being provided to members working as animators in tribal sanctuaries and support is being ensured for those who become entrepreneurs. Currently, 421 Animators have been trained to become mentors across the state.

A total of 277 youths have been selected from Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Kannur districts as beneficiaries of the scheme. The selection process in other districts will be completed by the end of December.

Bala Parliaments, which are organized to provide an opportunity for children who are members of Kudumbashree Balasabha to understand the importance and scope of the democratic system, are progressing in districts across the state. District-Level Bala Parliaments have been organized in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Alappuzha districts and also as part of the Attappady Special Project implemented by Kudumbashree.

District-Level Bala Parliaments will be completed in the remaining districts in the coming days. Then, the State-Level Bala Parliament will be organized at the Old Legislative Assembly Building in Thiruvananthapuram on 28-30 December 2024. A total of 165 children, including 11 children each elected from the District-Level Bala Parliaments and the Attappady Bala Parliament, will be part of the State-Level Bala Parliament.

Mr. Abhiram Pavithran, a native of Varambur, Palakkode of Malappuram and a fifth-year Integrated MA Student at IIT Chennai, won the first place in the State-Level Essay Writing Competition organized for College Students in March-April 2024 under the auspices of Kudumbashree.

Mr. Alan Antony, a student of the Centre for Professional and Advance Studies at Thottakkad College of Teacher Education, Kottayam, won the second place. Mr. Al Amin. J, a native of Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram and a research student in the Department of Sociology at the School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad, won the third position. The winners will receive cash awards of Rs. 20,000, Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 10,000 each, respectively.

Ms. Nandana. M, a third-year B. A. Malayalam student at Nehru Arts and Science College, Kanhangad, Kasaragod, and Ms. Amit Jyothi U.P, a first-year B. A. Economics student at Government Women's College, Thiruvananthapuram, also won consolation prizes of Rs. 5,000 each. All the winners will receive a cash award, a memento and a certificate.

The winners were selected from around seventy entries received as part of the competition. The winners were selected by a jury comprising Ms. R. Parvathy Devi, Former PSC Member, Former Kudumbashree PRO and Media Activist and Shri. N. Jagajeevan, Consultant, Suchitwa Mission and Former Kudumbashree Programme Officer

The 'Dhruva 2024' Project, jointly organized by Kudumbashree and HLL Lifecare, has been launched in Wayanad district. This project aims to empower children to develop their talents, abilities and life skills by giving importance to the sports sector. The project is being implemented as part of the Tribal Comprehensive Development Project implemented by Kudumbashree in the local area in Thirunelly and Noolpuzha Grama panchayats of Wayanad district.

50 girls and boys between the ages of 13 and 16, who are part of Bridge Courses & Balasabha, are part of the training programme. The project activities will be carried out on 12 public holidays from 30 November 2024 to 28 December 2024. These include indoor games, theatre activities, group activities, debates and outdoor activities including football.

The inauguration programmes of the project were held in both the panchayats on 30 November 2024. In Thirunelly,  Shri. Arun P. Rajan, State Programme Manager (Social Inclusion),  Kudumbashree presided over the function and Ms. P. Saumini, Chairperson, Thirunelly CDS inaugurated the project. Shri. Jayan Pookode, Member, Kudumbashree Mentor Core Team explained the project. Shri. Vinu, Resource Person, HLL Lifecare Limited and Ms. Shalini Krishna, Assistant Co-ordinator, HLL Lifecare Limited extended their greetings. Shri. Sai Krishnan T.V, Co-ordinator, Special Project welcomed the gathering and Ms. Rajitha, Co-ordinator, Dhruva Camp proposed the vote of thanks.

In Noolpuzha, Shri. Balasubramanian P.K, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission, Shri. Ameen A, Assistant District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission, Ms. Jaya, CDS Chairperson, Ms. Sarika S, State Assistant Programme Manager (Social Inclusion), Kudumbashree, Ms. Namitha, Programme Officer, HLL Lifecare Limited, Ms. Rajeev, Assistant Co-ordinator, HLL Lifecare Limited and Ms. Anjali,  Camp Co-ordinator, Dhruva Camp were part of the inauguration Ceremony.

Through life skill development, the aim is to instill in adolescents the confidence to succeed in life by developing educational thinking, sports resilience, self-confidence and a sense of purpose, and at the same time, to inspire them to overcome challenges and live confidently by utilizing the opportunities and possibilities around them. This project is being implemented in collaboration with Kudumbashree through HLL Management Academy as part of the social commitment of HLL Lifecare Limited.

Haritha Samrudhi Campaign is progressing across the state. Carrots, Cabbage, Radish, Cauliflower etc are grown in Kudumbashree's 'Haritha Samrudhi' Farms. As part of 'Haritha Samrudhi', the Winter Vegetable Farming Campaign of Kudumbashree the cultivation of winter crops including Radish, Cauliflower, Carrots and Cabbage is actively progressing across the state. Along with this, crops like lady's finger, tomato, spinach, lentils (yardlong beans), brinjal and cucumbers are also being cultivated.

68,474 women in 14,977 women farmer groups (Joint Liability Groups-JLGs) in 6037 wards of the state are cultivating on 1981.04 hectares. Haritha Samrudhi also aims to encourage winter vegetable farming at the local level, increase farmers' income and provide nutrition. Farmers will sell their produce directly through Kudumbashree Nattuchantha, Agri Kiosks and Marketing Fairs.

Apart from providing vegetable seedlings through Krishi Bhavans, the farmers are also being provided with necessary training at various stages from planting to harvesting in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR - CTCRI). 5631 training programmes have already been organized in 152 blocks. The Agriculture also has co-operation from the Employment Guarantee Scheme.