Kudumbashree's flowers will be for sale at Onam Market this year. Flowers blooming in the gardens of Kudumbashree members will add more colour to the 'Pookkalam' (Floral Carpet) prepared by the Malayalees during this Onam season. Cultivation of different varieties of flowers like bandi, marigold, chendumalli, jasmine and lotus is progressing all over the state. 

A total of 526.389 acres of land is being cultivated targeting the Onam market through Kudumbashree Joint Liability Groups (JLGs). 1461 JLGs have became part of it. Palakkad district has the largest acreage of flower cultivation. i.e., 88.7 acres. 

The aim is to make these flowers available in all the local markets and Kudumbashree's Onam markets. Kudumbashree is trying to make a strong presence in the Onam market through flowers this time. For details and flower availability under each CDS conducting floriculture, one may contact the respective CDS Chairperson.

Mazha Polima, an agricultural revitalization programme implemented by Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission, is progressing. From children to adults, people go to the fields, plant the seedlings, sing and dance and is making Mazha Polima a festival of the country. Various events including art and sports competitions and food fair are being organized as part of the fair.

With the slogan 'Cheranu Chor', Mazha Polima has been organized by Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission with the objectives of making barren land cultivable, ensuring food security, attracting people including the young generation to agriculture, and reviving the agricultural culture of the district.

The Mazha Polima Campaign, which has been organized in the district for the last five years, is being organized in a more extensive manner from this year. Apart from CDS level, the campaign is also organized in ADS level. As part of the campaign which started on 5 July 2023, Mazha Polima has been organized in 31 out of the total 42 CDSs in the district so far. 6 ADSs also carried out Mazha Polima.

Last year, 646.3 acres of barren land were cultivated through Kudumbashree JLG groups as part of Mazha Polima and 20.8 tons of rice was brought to the market under the Arishree brand.

The job fairs as part of the micro plan activities jointly implemented by the Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission and Kudumbashree have been completed in the four local self governing areas. Micro Plan activities were carried out in Bison Valley in Idukki district, Sultan Batheri in Wayanad district, Perumbadappu in Malappuram district and Kollam Corporation in Kollam district.

1800 job seekers and 163 employers participated in the job fairs organized in these four regions on 8th, 9th and 15th July 2023. 536 people were selected. As part of the Micro Plan activities, intensive campaign programmes to provide knowledge jobs to the educated job seekers registered on the Digital Workforce Management System (DWMS) platform in these areas were carried out.

The micro plans are being prepared and operated as per the requirement of the local self-governing bodies to the Knowledge Economy Mission to provide knowledge jobs to the educated unemployed. The first event in the micro-plan calendar is the formation of an organizing committee comprising of officials from various departments, people's representatives and representatives from skilling / employment agencies.

Then there are about 11 activities including meeting of job seekers at local level, knowledge job explanation, training and interviews for community ambassadors, work readiness programme and job training. Job fairs are organized last. In the future, it is aimed to implement micro plans focusing on more local bodies.

Kudumbashree invites logo and tagline for Kudumbashree BUDS Institutions, which works aiming at the education and rehabilitation of the differently abled run by Kudumbashree in the state associating with Local Self Government Institutions. The best entry will get Rs. 10,000 as prize. The logo and tagline should align with the basic objectives of BUDS Institutions like education of intellectually challenged children, day care, care and rehabilitation of intellectually challenged adults.

The entries may be sent to The Programme Officer (SD), Kudumbashree, TRIDA Building, Medical College P.O, Thiruvananthapuram-695011. The last date for receipt of the entries is 10 August 2023.

Samunnathi - Kudumbashree Scheduled Caste Comprehensive Development Project has been launched at Kuzhalmannam Block of Palakkad district of Kerala. Shri. M.B. Rajesh, Minister, Local Self Government Department and Excise Department, Government of Kerala inaugurated the programme held at Thenkurissi Panchayath Community Hall, Palakkad on 29 July 2023. The Minister said that through the launch of this project, Kudumbashree aims at inclusion of the sidelined communities and this project has been launched in Kuzhalmannam Block as 25 % of the population are from Scheduled Tribes community. Within the last 25 years, Kudumbashree has made revolutionary and astonishing changes in the life of women socially, financially and politically. Making changes in the lives of women means that Kudumbashree is capable of making changes in the lives of the people of Kerala altogether. Kudumbashree have brought leadership of women to the mainstream of the society. Also Kudumbashree paved the way for comprehensive women empowerment  The Minister said. 

Kudumbashree has made the play written by V.T.Bhattathiripad come true by bringing women to the mainstream of the society. Kudumbashree had made great contributions to complete the social reformation movement of Kerala. The President of India had joined Kudumbashree during its Silver Jubilee Celebrations and the comment made by the President of India about Kudumbashree brings immense pride not only to every Kudumbashree member but also to all keralites. He added. 

Shri. K.D. Prasenan, MLA, Alathoor Constituency presided over the function. Shri. Jafar Malik IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbahsree explained the project. The Minister also launched the Samunnathi Guideline during the function. Various funds for the SC NHGs, distribution of special seed capital and livelihood funds to the 7 CDSs were also held.

Kudumbashree State Mission is starting a special project called 'Samunnathi' for the first time in the state in the Kuzhalmannam block of Palakkad district where the largest number of Scheduled Castes reside as part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission's Annual Action Plan as a part of special intervention in the Scheduled Castes region. This project aims to implement various development activities for the Scheduled Castes in the seven Kudumbashree CDSs of Kuzhalmannam block in three phases. This project also aims to bring all the families of the Scheduled Castes into the Kudumbashree system and implement various locally possible livelihood work activities and carry out various social women empowerment interventions.

There are 7 Local Self Government bodies in Kuzhalmannam block such as Thenkurissi Grama Panchayath, Kottayi Grama Panchayath, Kannadi Grama Panchayath, Kuzhalmannam Grama Panchayath, Kuthanur Grama Panchayath, Mathoor Grama Panchayath. Peringottukurissi Grama Panchayath. 25% of the total population belongs to the SC category. Wage labor and agricultural work are the main means of livelihood. Compared to other communities, the Scheduled Castes are economically, socially, educationally and professionally very backward. Mainly Panan, Mannan, Perumannan, Parayan, Cheruman, Kanakkan, Doban, Koodan, Kavara, Pulayan, Pulluvan, Valluvan, Nayadi, Chakiliyan and other groups live here.

Through the Samunnathi scheme, mainly the interventions such as formation and strengthening of NHGs, trainings for existing NHGs (accounting, organizational structure, various projects), strengthening of micro-income development activities by providing community funds Vulnerability Reduction Fund, Revolving Fund and Corpus Fund to NHGs and Seed Capital Fund, Livelihood Fund etc to CDSs, agriculture focused livelihood activities, formation of mechanized agricultural workforce (Green Army), formation of Agricultural Joint Liability Groups, initiation of animal protection initiatives, micro-enterprise formation by identifying local resource potential etc will be implemented for Scheduled Caste families.

Ms. Binumol .K, President, District Panchayath, Palakkad, Shri. C.K.Chamunni, Vice President, District Panchayath Palakkad, Shri. T.K.Devadas, President, Kuzhalmannam Block Panchayat, Ms. Maruthi Murugan, Block Panchayath President Attappady and Kudumbashree Governing Body Member, Shri. Bhargavan. R, President, Thenkurissi Grama Panchayath, Shri, Satheesh. R, President, Kottayi Grama Panchayath, Ms. Latha.M, President, Kannadi Grama Panchayath, Ms. Mini Narayanan, President, Kuzhalmannam Grama Panchayath, Shri. P.T. Sahadevan, President, Kuthanur Grama Panchayath, Ms. Pravitha Muraleedharan President, Mathoor Grama Panchayath, Ms. Keralakumari. K.M, President, Peringottukurissi Grama Panchayath, other officials also became part of the function. Shri. K.K. Chandradasan, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Palakkad District Mission welcomed the gathering and Shri. Jijin.G, District Programme Manager, Kudumbashree Palakkad District Mission delivered the vote of thanks. 

Malu Amma, who is member of Kudumbashree for the last 22 years, Mundiyamma, 80 year old NHG member and members of Prathyasha unit, Balasabha members, JLG members who did cultivation in 5 acres of land and the first NHG formed as part of the Samunnathi Project was also felicitated at the function.

Kudumbashree Palakkad District Mission arranges livelihood opportunity for 10 tribal families in Parambikulam. The initiatives were jointly inaugurated by Shri. B.S. Manoj, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree and Shri. K.K.Chandradasan, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Palakkad District Mission during a function organized on 22 July 2023.

Under Kudumbashree's Scheduled Caste Sustainable Development Project, two mini flour mill units named Minishree and Jayashree have been started under the leadership of Kudumbashree in the fifth colony of Parambikulam ward to promote livelihood activities. Minishree Curry Powder Unit will be run by Ms. Shanti, Ms. Nanji, Ms. Shelvi, Ms. Rugmini and Ms. Kaveri, members of Snehashree NHG and Jayashree Curry Powder Unit will be run by Ms. Madhavi, Ms. Jaya, Ms. Alli, Ms. Pacha and Ms. Rathi, members of Sreehari NHG of Muthalamada CDS. Kudumbashree has provided financial assistance of Rs. 60,000 each to start the mills.

 A social security insurance campaign was also started in the villages. Ms. Selvi, Ward Member, Ms. Komalam, Chairperson, Muthalamada CDS, Ms. Mallika. R, CDS Member, Shri. Muthu Swami, Head of the Hamlet, Shri. Jijin.G, Ms. Sabitha.C, Ms. Lakshmi.R, Ms. Priyanka.K,  Shri. Naushad, District Programme Managers, Shri. Jomon K.J, SD Co-ordinator, Ms. Rajitha, Micro Enterprise Consultant, Shri. Veluchami, Ms. Aishwarya, Shri. Satheesh, Animators also participated in the function.

 Parambikulam Reserve Forest is more than 80 km away from Palakkad town, which can be reached only after traveling through Tamil Nadu from Kerala and again through Kerala. Kudumbashree Palakkad District Mission is being a relief to the tribal groups of Malamalasar who live in this Parambikulam Reserve Forest, which is located at an altitude of more than 800 meters above sea level.

The first phase of the  'Sajjam'- Building Resilience Programme Training for Balasabha members which envisages preparing the new generation to face natural calamities has been completed.  9311 children participated in the training organized in 206 CDSs in 14 districts on 15-16 July 2023. A total of 608 District Level Resource Persons were trained by 28 Master Trainers and State Disaster Management Authority representatives. The Balasabha members are being given training through them.

It is aimed to provide training to one lakh Balasabha members of the state in different phases by Onam holidays. Along with providing awareness on the issues of nature, environment, disaster impact mitigation, rights and responsibilities, children will be given an opportunity to learn about various natural disasters like floods, landslides, droughts, landslides, sea storms and understand the current disaster management systems. 

Training is provided through various activities in which the children can understand for themselves, including how climate change affects their lives. Through these trained children, adults will also be given awareness.

The 'Karkkidaka Chantha' set up by Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission at Thirunelly gained attention. Dr. Renu Raj IAS, District Collector, Wayanad inaugurated the programme on 17 July 2023. The 'Karkkidaka Chantha' was set up in connection with the Karkkidaka Vavu (Hindu ritual performed for the deceased ancestors) at the premises of Thirunelly temple. Various types of leafy vegetables, vegetables, Wayanad's unique rice Gandakashala, Mullan Kaima, Chomala, Veliyan Thondi etc along with dosa made from these rice, Puttu flour and products made from mani grass were made available at the 'Karkkidaka Chantha'.

'Karkkidaka Chantha' was organized as part of the Kudumbashree Wayanad Tribal Comprehensive Development Project in association with Thirunelly Kudumbashree CDS, Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Thirunelly and Rebuild Kerala Initiative - Entrepreneurship Development Programme (RKI - EDP). 66 Kudumbashree entrepreneurial units participated in the market organized in the temple premises on 16, 17 and 18 July 2023.

 Ms. R. Sreelakshmi, Sub Collector, Wayanad, Shri. N.I. Shaju, Additional District Magistrate, Shri. P.K. Balasubramanian, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission, Ms. V.K. Rejeena, Assistant District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission, Kudumbashree officials and members also attended the function.

The Third Phase of Polima Puthukkad of  Kudumbashree Thrissur District Mission has been started. The aim of the programme is producing non-toxic and safe vegetables. Implemented through effective integration of local bodies, Kudumbashree, Department of Agriculture, Co-operative Institutions and employment guarantee scheme, the project was initiated to implement the idea of the State Government to formulate and implement plans to achieve self-sufficiency in the field of food production. Those who are part of the scheme are provided with the assistance as part of the Agri Nutri Garden Scheme of Kudumbashree.

In the second phase of the project, 120 tonnes of vegetables were harvested on 29 hectares of land by 40,000 Kudumbashree women who are members of 2411 NHGs in eight panchayats of Puthukkad Constituency. Shri. K.K.Ramachandran, Puthukkad MLA inaugurated the third phase of the project at Kodakara Block Hall, Thrissur on 27 June 2023. He also distributed awards to the best performing NHGs who had done best in agriculture in the second phase.

The CDS Level NHGs include Nanma NHG (Mattathur Panchayath), Anashwara NHG (Vallachira), Devashree NHG (Alagappa Nagar), Aishwarya Lakshmi NHG (Puthukkad), Pratibha NHG (Nenmanikkara), Sauhrudha NHG (Varantharapilly), Friends Koottayma NHG (Thrikoor), Karunashree NHG (Parappukkara).

Shri. M.R. Ranjith, President, Kodakara Block Panchayath presided over the function. Shri. M.K. Radhakrishnan Master, President, Cherpu Block Panchayath, Shri. E.K. Anoop, Ms. Ajitha Sudhakaran, Shri. Simon Nampadan, Grama Panchayath Presidents, Dr. Kavitha. A, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Thrissur District Mission, Shri. P.R. Ajay Ghosh, Block Development Officer, Ms. Ambili Hari, CDS Chairperson, Puthukkad Panchayath Kudumbashree CDS delivered their felicitations. Shri. Unnikrishnan, Agriculture Officer, Mattathur took a class on scientific vegetable farming.

Training for Balasabha Members as part of 'Sajjam'- Building Resilience Programme has started on 15 July 2023. The programme envisages preparing the new generation to face natural calamities. 608 District Level Resource Persons in 14 districts were trained by 28 trained Master Trainers and representatives of the State Disaster Management Authority on 30 June 2023 and 1 July 2023. Through these 608 Resource Persons around 1 lakh children aged between 13 and 17 years of age across the state will be trained in disaster preparedness.

Along with providing awareness on the issues of nature, environment, disaster impact mitigation, rights and responsibilities, children will be given an opportunity to learn about various natural disasters like floods, landslides, droughts, landslides, sea storms and understand the current disaster management systems. The training is through various activities where the children can understand for themselves, including how climate change affects their lives. Through them awareness will be given to other children as well as adults.