A Gender Carnival is being organized in 1070 Kudumbashree CDSs in the State on 23 December 2024. This is in connection with the conclusion of the 'Nayi Chetna' National Gender Campaign, which is being organized across India from 25 November 2024 to 23 December 2024 under the leadership of the National Rural Livelihood Mission. The carnival will begin with an Open Forum in each CDS, involving people from various walks of life on the topic of 'Dowry and Women's Rights'. In addition, the Carnival will feature a variety of programmes such as a report presentation on the activities carried out in CDSs for the past month in connection with the campaign, honoring Gender Champions, and a Nutrition Food Festival. To make the Carnival a huge success, the participation of public representatives, experts from various fields, school and college students will also be ensured, in addition to the Kudumbashree NHGs, Auxiliary Groups, and Balasabha members.

The main aim of the campaign is to create gender awareness. As part of this, a number of activities have been organized in the last three weeks focusing on NHGs, ADSs, CDSs, Auxiliary Groups, 854 Gender Resource Centres, and Vigilant Groups. Key among these are classes on the POSH Act, which ensures a decent and safe work environment for women in the workplace, and training organized to form internal committees in all institutions. In addition, in collaboration with local self-government bodies, Special Grama Sabha were convened against gender-based violence, Group Discussions involving men, boys and local leaders, Gender Quizzes, Group Discussions, Poster-Hashtag-Mural Campaigns, Pledge-Taking, Street Plays, Flash Mobs and Short Film Screenings were also organized. Active participation of men and boys along with women was also visible in many places. It is assessed that all the activities were able to gain attention in public spaces.

'Nayi Chetna' is a national-level campaign organized by the National Rural Livelihood Mission from 25 November 2024 to 23 December 2024 across India. This year's theme is 'Against Gender Discrimination and Gender-Based Violence'. The camp aims to create an environment where women and individuals of different genders can live fearlessly based on their rights without facing discrimination and violence. In the last two years, 'Nayi Chetana'. Kudumbashree has been able to perform well at the national level by taking up the campaign. This year, when the campaign organized at the NHG, ADS, CDS and District Levels will be completed, 48 lakh Kudumbashree members will become  part of it.

The 'RISE' - Revitalizing Institution and Strengthening Excellence - State-Level Campaign organized under the auspices of Kudumbashree will start in January 2025. The aim is to strengthen the three-tier organizational structure as a whole by improving the efficiency and transparency of all 1070 CDSs under Kudumbashree.

The employees and Mission Officers who have been given the responsibility of enhancing the operational excellence of the CDSs under the name 'My CDS' are responsible for this. Under their leadership, the implementation and progress of project activities and related issues will be accurately evaluated in each CDS. Guidelines have been issued for Block Co-ordinators, District Programme Managers, District Mission Co-ordinators, Assistant Co-ordinators and Programme Officers in connection with the Campaign.

As part of the Campaign, various CDSs under a block will be distributed to 4 Block Co-ordinators. The period is three months. During this period, the activities and progress of the CDSs should be evaluated before the 7th of every month. The CDS will be visited and inspected to check the maintenance and accuracy of the registers prescribed under the Kudumbashree Bye-laws, loans, repayments, utilization of various funds available from the District Mission, software entry, and minutes of various meetings. Then, a report prepared in the prescribed format will be given to the District Mission Co-ordinator and a copy will be given to the CDS Chairperson. It is suggested that this report be included as a special agenda in the next CDS meeting and discussed to resolve the deficiencies. After three months, the responsibility of CDS will be transferred to the Block Co-ordinators. A common format inspection register will also be maintained in all CDSs.

Based on the report provided by the Block Co-ordinator regarding the functioning of the CDSs, the District Missions will categorize the CDSs into ABC and D. Then the District Programme Managers, Assistant Co-ordinators, District Mission Co-ordinators and Programme Officers will also examine the report. The CDSs will also be visited. The Consolidated Report of the CDSs is also included as a main agenda in the District Project Review Meetings. Activities to resolve the current deficiencies of the CDSs that have received low grades and to elevate all the CDSs to excellence will be devised and implemented under the leadership of the District Mission. The State Mission will lead all activities.

As part of the Nayi Chetana 3.0 National Gender Campaign, a Gender Quiz & Gender Debate were organized at the Kudumbashree State Mission Office under the leadership of the Gender Section. Ms. M. Geetha, Chief Finance Officer, Kudumbashree administered the gender pledge.

A Gender Carnival is also being organized at the CDS level on 23 December 2024 to mark the conclusion of the Nayi Chetna 3.0 Campaign, which was started on 25 November 2024. The Nayi Chetna 3.0 Gender Campaign is being organized all over India as part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).

To create gender awareness, various activities such as various classes, group discussions, poster, hashtag, mural campaigns, street plays, flash mobs, etc. are being conducted by focusing on NHGs, ADSs, CDS organizational systems, Auxiliary Groups, Gender Resource Centres, and Vigilant Groups.

The programme organized at the Kudumbashree State Mission was led by Dr. B. Sreejith, Programme Officer, Mr. Nafih Muhammed, Public Relations Officer, Ms. Preetha G. Nair, Ms. Feby D.A, Ms. Krishnakumari R, State Assistant Programme Managers and Mr. Arjun Pratap R.P., Office Secretarial Staff.

In the Gender Quiz Competition, the team consisting of Mr. Sreekanth A.S (Programme Officer), Ms. Anitha. G, Ms. Muneera K, Ms. Abhirami U.S, Mr. Shaji Babinson, Ms. Jayakumari A, Ms. Raji S, Ms. Resmi P, Ms. Anukala P.L, Mr. Sreejith M.S, Mr. Sreebal B.S won the first place. In the Gender Debate Competition, Ms. K. Bhavana, Ms. Muneera M & Mr. Nishad C.C, also received prizes for the Best Performers.

As part of the Kudumbashree Malappuram Nilambur Tribal Special Project, the indigenous people have started Little Millet Cultivation on 2.5 acres of land in Uchakkulam Hamlet. These hamlet residents, who belong to the Kattunayakan community, an ancient tribal group, are hoping to harvest a good yield from the cultivation carried out in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Development and Farmers Welfare as part of the 2024-25 Millet Farming Project of the Moothedam Krishi Bhavan.

In previous years, turmeric, ginger, ragi and sesame were cultivated through 7 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) of Kudumbashree. The project aims to develop and promote millet farming, which has nutritional value and is capable of preventing lifestyle diseases.

Shri. P. Usman, President, Moothedam Grama Panchayath inaugurated the millet farming during a function organized at Uchakkulam Hamlet on 6 December 2024. Ms. T.P. Safiya, Vice President, Moothedam Grama Panchayat  presided over the function. Shri. B. Suresh Kumar, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission was the Chief Guest of the function.

Ms. Neethu Thankam, Agriculture Officer, Moothedam welcomed the gathering and Shri. K.K. Muhammed Sanu, Co-ordinator, Nilambur Tribal Special Project delivered the vote of thanks. Shri. Veeran, Head of the Hamlet, People's Representatives, CDS Representatives, JLG Members, Kudumbashree Block Co-ordinators, Animators, etc. participated in the programme.

'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.