Amidst the crisis of covid-19 pandemic, DDU-GKY students from Kasaragod district of Kerala are earning income by making customized handmade gifts. The DDU-GKY students who completed Fashion Designing course from SN College, Periya, Kasaragod are making hand embroidered hoops as per the orders and are making income of their own. The orders are mainly received for gifting for birthdays and weddings. The students who completed the Fashion Designing training through Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) the skill training programme jointly being implemented by the Central- State Governments through Kudumbashree Mission in Kerala, had made an average monthly income of more than Rs 10,000 during the lockdown period, when their college was remained closed.

24 young women from the rural areas of Kasaragod district of Kerala are the DDUGKY students who are earning income by making custom handmade gifts. They are Ms. Asirifa P A, Ms. Athulya C, Ms. Athulya K M, Ms. Ayisha Thrumaisa, Ms. Devika K, Ms. Fathimath Shala Sirin T H, Ms. Haripriya P, Ms. Kairunnisa M A, Ms. Kavya K, Ms. Mariyamanth Thasniya, Ms. Mishwana Muhammad, Ms. Najumunnisa, Ms. Safoorath Muneesa Nasreena, Ms. Pharina T A, Ms. Rajila P K, Ms. Ranjitha S, Ms. Reeja T, Ms. Reshma P.N, Ms. Sameera Fahim, Ms. Seema K, Ms. Sreemol V, Ms. Sreesanthi C, Ms. Sujatha O S, and Ms. Sujithra P. Their facilitators for the Fashion Designing Course at the SN Trust training centre suggested that they could start making handmade gifts. The price of the embroidery hoops start from Rs 400 and the embroidery hoops are charged as per the size and the time and effort. Usually a single hoop is finished within one and a half days.

They would join for the job in fashion designing by the month of November, after completing their 'On The Job Training'. This would be an additional source of income for them. They have also started a few Instagram profiles to receive the orders for the customised embroidered hoops. In addition to the online orders, they are getting offline orders as well. Those who are interested in ordering the embroidered hoops may directly contact them. Their products were displayed at a few exhibitions too and that had helped them get more customers for their products. In addition to the hoops, few of them are into bottle art and bridal blouse stitching as well. These students from Kasaragod are making the most out of the opportunity and the skills they earned through the DDU-GKY Skill training programme.

Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) are the organizations that function to find solutions for the unemployment of the rural youth by extending them skill training and thereby equipping them to find self employment and make entrepreneurship development possible. Smt. P.I Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree launched the Annual Report 2020-21 of the RSETIs in Kerala at Kudumbashree State Mission, Thiruvananthapuram on 20 September 2021.

The  RSETIs under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) function associating with the State Rural Livelihood Missions in the respective states. The LEAD Banks in each district are entrusted with the functioning of the RSETIs. In Kerala, RSETIs function associating with Kudumbashree, the implementing agency of National Rural Livelihood Mission.  Every RSETIs implement more than 56 skill training programmes in Kerala. They have well equipped training centres for the same.

Ms. Saritha R, Assistant Controller, National Academy of RUDSETI, Kerala, Mr. Jayaprakash KR, State Director, RSETI, Mr. Prem Jeevan, Director, Indian Overseas Bank, Mr. S. Jahamgeer, Programme Officer, Mr. Shibu N.P, Mr. Bipin Jose, Mr. Das Vincent. Mr. T Leopole, Mr. K.R Jayan, Mr. G. Sreeraj, Programme Managers, Kudumbashree were also present on the occasion.

DDU-GKY Hunarbaaz Awards were presented to the differently-abled candidates who were trained through the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) programme in Kerala in various trades and subsequently got placement and worked in the organizations for more than one year, as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of DDUGKY.  Smt. P.I Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree handed over the awards to the selected 12 candidates at the function held at District Collectorate, Ernakulam on 25 September 2021, on the occasion of  the 'Antyodaya Diwas'.

The Awards were given away as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav India @75. The selected 12 candidates include Mr. Ameen Sidheeq, Mr. Abdul Vajid T, Mr. Midhun K (JSS), Ms. Manju George, Mr. Ahammed Savad M (Quess), Mr. Salman Arshad (MET), Ms. Mereena Daniel, Mr. Sajeesh George (Vimalagiri), Mr. Santo Joseph (ULCC), Mr. George N John, Ms. Sneha Sebastian (ESAF) and Mr Naveen Soorya (Holy Cross).

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements, which is is dedicated to the people of India who have not only been instrumental in bringing India thus far in it’s evolutionary journey but also hold within them the power and potential. Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced on 12 March 2021 and will end post a year on 15th August 2023 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Independence.

'Onam Utsav Online Shopping Mela', which was organized through www.kudumbashreebazaar.com, the e- commerce portal of Kudumbashree during 18 August to15 September 2021 has became a big hit and a sales of Rs 65.28 lakhs was recorded. The online trade fair continued for about a month and 45,730 orders were received. The trade fair aimed at extending maximum support to Kudumbashree micro entrepreneurs and farming group members and help them secure greater sales during the onam season that came amidst the crisis of covid-19 pandemic. 

The online trade fair which was launched including greater discounts and combo offers has secured great participation. Though the trade fair was scheduled to end on 31 August 2021, more than 3200 orders on that day and hence it was decided to extend the trade fair till 15 September 2021. A total of 2017 products including masala powders, apparels, spices etc produced by Kudumbashree entrepreneurs were available for sale as part of the trade fair. Discounts upto 40% was also given. Additional discount of 10% was given to those who purchased for more than Rs 1000. The products were delivered free of cost all across the country, associating with the Postal Department and attractive combo offers were also given.

A total of 9659 orders were received on 15 September 2021 itself, the day on which the online trade fair came to an end. The details including the number of orders received by the entrepreneurs of each district is given below (In the order of the district- orders received by the entrepreneurs in the district- order amount- orders received from the districts (as per the location of the customers)- order amount received from the districts (as per the location of the customers).

1. Thiruvananthapuram   -  2453 -  3,34,726 - 6077 - 8,14,681
2. Kollam  -   2724  - 3,37,639 - 2353  -  3,35,512
3. Pathanamthitta -  794  -1 ,65,064 - 378 - 64,200
4. Alappuzha  -   402  - 58,829 - 606 - 98,691
5. Kottayam  -   2880  - 3,67,649 - 4244 - 5,49,310
6. Idukki  -    875  - 1,36,061 - 757 - 1,05,149
7. Ernakulam  -  8950  -  12,65,749 - 15,274  - 21,88,917
8. Thrissur -   5633  - 7,94,484 - 2940 - 4,09,166
9. Palakkad -  2087  - 3,38,547  - 357  - 59,530
10. Malappuram -  676  - 95,186 - 555 - 84,932
11. Kozhikode   -  4034  -  5,35,998  -  2256  - 3,01,705
12. Wayanad  -  1515  -  2,43,830  - 326 - 53,440
13. Kannur -  10,389 -  15,31,908  -  8477 - 12,48,389
14. Kasaragod  -  2318 - 3, 22,526  -  805 - 1,08,120
Total - 45730 - 65,28,197  - 45,730 - 65,28,197

Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana 2.0 (PM Yuva) Project, piloted in Kerala under the leadership of Kudumbashree has been completed now. The Awards of PM Yuva have also been announced. Shri. M. V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Rural Development & Excise, Government of Kerala inaugurated the culminating session in online mode on 22 September 2021. Smt. Sarada Muraleedharan IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala presided over the function. Smt. P.I Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree declared the awards. 

Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana 2.0 (PM Yuva), formulated by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was implemented in Kerala as a pilot project. The project envisaged enabling the youth to become entrepreneurs rather than job seekers and thereby turn them into employers. Kudumbashree is the state nodal agency for implementing the programme in Kerala. The project was implemented in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Alappuzha districts of Kerala.

The project includes activities that create an enabling ecosystem for the young entrepreneurs. This project comprises various awareness programmes that includes the entrepreneurship development of current entrepreneurs, guidance to the new entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDP) that includes various camps etc. The project mainly aims at creating a path for the entrepreneurs to connect with the business network and equip them to overcome the crisis they would have to face now or in the future.   The project was implemented in two phases- Community level and Institutional level. Entrepreneurship awareness and three day Boot Camp training that would help in entrepreneurship development was organized at the community level. Whereas, at the Institutional level,  Kudumbashree implemented entrepreneurship development training and needed training was provided to the selected teachers at the vocational educational institutions (Polytechnic, JSS, ITI, PMKVY).

The programmes in both levels (Institutional level and Community level) were implemented in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thrissur districts. Institutional level was implemented in Palakkad district and Community level was implemented in Alappuzha district. Through these two level activities, 1607 students have completed the entrepreneurship development in the institutional level. 154 new entrepreneurs and 131 current entrepreneurs were benefitted as part of the community level training.

Auxiliary Neighbourhood Group units were officially announced  and the guidelines regarding the formation of the Auxiliary Neighbourhood Groups were launched by Shri. M. V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala on 18 September 2021. The guidelines regarding the same was launched by the minister, by presenting the same to Smt. P.I Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree. The project envisages to ensure the representation of young women in Kudumbashree system & for their social, cultural & livelihood upliftment.

As of now, there are more than 45 lakhs of women in Kudumbashree NHGs. But out of them those between the age of 18-40 constitute only 10 %. As the Kudumbashree membership is limited to one member per family, a second member from the family would fail to get the membership.  Because of this limitation, a greater percentage of young women failed to get directly benefited out of the various programmes being implemented through Kudumbashree.

The formation of Auxiliary Neighbourhood Groups aims at overcoming such limitations and make the youth a part of Kudumbashree fraternity and thereby bring them to the mainstream of the society and give awareness about social economic and women empowerment topics. Auxiliary Groups would arrange an avenue for working, finding livelihood and discussing social issues. This would help in increasing the efficiency and intervening skills of women and thereby strengthen social growth.

Every CDS would form Women Auxiliary Groups in all wards. The maximum number of members for a group is 50. If the membership exceeds this, more groups could be formed. The groups would be registered in the District Mission with the recommendation of the CDSs. Women between 18-40 years of age can become part of the groups. More than one woman (between 18 to 40 years of age) can take membership from the same household. The group formation activities would be started by the month of October.

A One Day Workshop on Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) - LIFE & National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) was organized and the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs) was officially announced. The workshop was officially inaugurated by Shri. M.V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala at Mascot Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram on 18 September 2021. The workshop aims to familiarize the PMAY (U)-LIFE and NULM  programmes in detail to the Chairmen of the Urban Local Bodies. 

Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs), a sub-scheme under Pradhan Mantri AWAS Yojana- Urban (PMAY-U) initiated by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Government of India was also announced by the minister at the programme. This will provide ease of living to urban migrants/ poor in the Industrial Sector as well as in a non-formal urban economy to get access to dignified affordable rental housing close to their workplace.

In the background of covid-19 pandemic, the workshop is being organized in three phases. In the first phase of the workshop, the Corporation Mayors and Municipal Chairpersons from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts took part in the workshop.  Kudumbashree is the state level nodal agency for implementing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)-LIFE & National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) in Kerala.

Winners of 'Onapulari' and 'Poove Poli', the online onam celebrations, which consisted of various competitions, organized amidst the crisis of covid-19 pandemic, for the students of BUDS Institutions and Balasabha members, in all its glory, taking necessary precautions has been announced. Shri. M. V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala announced the state level winners of these competitions on 17 September 2021. A panel of experts had selected the winners. The winners would be awarded with momentos, certificates and other gifts. 

'Onapulari 2021' the onam celebrations organized for the students of the BUDS Institutions that function in the Local Self Government Institution Level was held during 19-23 August 2021. 'Malayali Manka', 'Kerala Sreeman/Mahabali', 'Onappatt', 'Njanum ente pookkalavum', Drawing competition etc were organized in the junior-senior levels.  Parents took the photo/ video of the performances of the BUDS students and sent the same to the BUDS teachers. A total of 3058 children from BUDS Schools and BUDS Rehabilitation centres have become part of these celebrations. 'Poove Poli 2021', the onam celebrations organized for the Balasabha members were held during 20-23 August 2021. ' Mavelikkoru kath' (A letter for Maveli), 'Onappattu' (Onam Song) and 'Athapookkalam' competitions were organized and 28,015 students from 6344 Balasabhas participated. Balasabha members took part in the competitions, by sending the videos or photos of the competitions to the concerned people in the CDS level.  A panel of experts selected the winners at the district level as well. 

The results of the competitions are available in this link:  www.kudumbashree.org/onam2021. Kudumbashree team members had taken greater efforts in formulating, coordinating and implementing the programmes at its best to celebrate the onam in all its glory, amidst the crisis of covid-19 pandemic.

The first phase of the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), which is being implemented in Kerala through Kudumbashree aiming at encouraging entrepreneurship development in the rural sector, has successfully been completed. Through this programme, which is being implemented at the block level within 4 years, financial support and other assistance is given for forming enterprises in non-farming sectors other than agriculture and animal husbandry sector. 

SVEP is the joint programme of central-state governments and the first phase of the same in Kerala was started at Vadavucode and Parakode of Ernakulam & Pathanamthitta districts. The programme which got approval during 2016 was started from January 2017. It was successfully completed by March 2021. The activities of these two blocks were recognized as the best models in the national level and this itself brings immense pride to Kudumbashree.The aim was to launch 2,054 enterprises at Vaduvakode. 2,129 enterprises have already been formed until now. The aim was to start 2,164 enterprises at Parakkode and 2,089 enterprises were started there.

Kudumbashree had selected the Vadavucode and Parakode blocks for the programme implementation as per the criteria put forward by the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Preliminary activities such as the initial survey to know about the natural resources and enterprise opportunities, appointment and training of Micro Enterprise Consultants (MECs) to support the enterprise activities, formation of the Block Nodal Society for Enterprise Promotion (BNSEP) in the block level and registration of the same as per the 'Society Act' for overseeing the programme and giving leadership and the formation of Block Resource Centre (BRC) in the block level for extending support regarding the formation and development of the enterprises were implemented in these two blocks. Later, awareness was given to the NHGs through MECs and the NHG members or their family members who were interested in launching the enterprises were identified and they were extended various training sessions.  Needed capital was provided, support was given in forming enterprises and marketing support was also provided. The MECs extend handholding support to these enterprises for at least one year. The monthly income and other activities of the enterprises are being analyzed using a special software. Though the 4 year programme activities have been completed, Kudumbashree aims at extending the follow up support to these entrepreneurs through BNSEPs and BRCs  and identify and support the enterprises which have scale up opportunities in the upcoming years.

In the second phase (2018), the programme has been started in 12 blocks viz., Idukki (Idukki), Nilambur (Malappuram), Vaikom (Kottayam), Neeleswaram (Kasaragod), Pathanapuram (Kollam), Vamanapuram (Thiruvananthapuram), Panamaram (Wayanad), Thycattussery (Alappuzha), Kodakara (Thrissur), Koothuparamba (Kannur), Perambra (Kozhikode) and Nenmara (Palakkad). In the fourth phase (2020), approval has been received to implement the programme at Vypin block of Ernakulam district. The detailed plan of the same has been prepared and is submitted for approval.  Kudumbashree was able to start 19,371 enterprises as part of SVEP until July 2021. Government of Kerala has entrusted Kudumbashree to implement the enterprise development activities in 14 flood affected blocks in the state in SVEP model as part of Rebuild Kerala initiative. The initial activities have been started in the particular blocks and the enterprise formation activities have already been started.

The registration for 'PEARL' (Pravasi  Entrepreneurship Augmentation and Reformation of Livelihoods), the Pravasi Bhadratha Nano Programme being implemented through Kudumbashree has been started. The Pravasi Bhadratha Programme formed by the Government of Kerala through NORKA Roots to support the emigrants who are in crisis due to covid-19, had officially been launched on 26 August 2021. As part of this Kudumbashree has received the opportunity to implement the Pravasi Bhadratha Nano Programme, converging with the NORKA Roots. The registration process of this programme has been started now. The details of the 'PEARL' Programme is given as follows.

1. Who are the beneficiaries?
The emigrants who lost their livelihood in the background of covid-19 pandemic are the beneficiaries of this programme. They should be the family members of Kudumbashree NHG members (who hold an NHG membership for a period of at least 6 months) or be the family members of the newly formed women auxiliary groups of Kudumbashree. The beneficiary should have been an emigrant for at least 2 years. Either men or women can become the beneficiaries of the programme. The family members of the emigrants who had died due to covid-19 can become the beneficiaries of the programme. If the jobless emigrant is a patient, their family members can also become the beneficiaries of the same. Those who have already started the enterprise after returning to their homelands losing their livelihood due to covid-19 can expand the same through this programme.

2. Which are the various stages of the programme?
In the first stage, the jobless emigrants would be identified and be considered as a special section. Those who are interested in starting the enterprises would be equipped for the same. In the second stage, they would be equipped to become entrepreneurs by extending General Orientation training, Entrepreneurship Development training and skill training.  Those emigrants who do not need skill training and have prior experience can make registrations at the respective CDSs directly for starting the enterprises. In the third stage, the needed financial aid and support would be given to the enterprises and efforts would be made to start the enterprises and ensure the sustainability of the same.

3. How is financial support given?
The beneficiaries would be given interest free loans of a maximum of Rs 2 lakhs per individual or 75% of the total project cost of the enterprise, whichever is lower. The remaining 25% amount should be borne by the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries should repay this Interest Free Loan as equal installments within 21 months after the three month moratorium period, once the first installment is received.

4. How to apply?
The application form is available on the website of Kudumbashree. It is also available at the CDSs.  The beneficiaries should submit the applications at the respective CDSs, along with the documents that prove their eligibility to become part of the programme. Those who need the enterprise training should register in the Kudumbashree job portal. The application form, job portal link and other details are available in this link:  www.kudumbashree.org/pearl.