Kudumbashree is planning to launch 100 Permanent Marketing Outlets in the state for making the agricultural and non agricultural products produced by NHG women, available for the public. Monthly markets that function in a good way are identified and will be converted into permanent marketing outlets. These permanent marketing outlets would be uniformly branded as well. The activities for implementing the same had already been started.

Kudumbashree has been organising monthly markets at every block and Urban Local Bodies, which is one of the key marketing activities of Kudumbashree. Such monthly markets organised at some locations continuously function for one week or so. It is then Kudumbashree decided to turn these selected monthly markets that function well into permanent marketing outlets. During the 2019-20 financial year, 1876 monthly markets were organised by Kudumbashree across Kerala. Sales of Rs 5.85 crores was recorded through the Monthly markets.

The permanent marketing outlets will function under the ownership of the respective CDSs. It is aimed at arranging a permanent marketing outlet for a minimum of 25 NHG entrepreneurs/ farming groups in the respective Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) for marketing their products. Likewise, marketing support will be provided to 2500 women entrepreneurs through these outlets. Sales of a minimum of Rs 50,000 per month is expected from these permanent outlets. The plan is to set up 100 uniformly branded marketing outlets. District Missions will select the locations of monthly markets that are to be converted for permanent marketing outlets. Respective CDSs will be entrusted with the management of the marketing outlets. An entrepreneur or a staff can be assigned for the management of the outlets by CDS.

A meeting of the entrepreneurs and farmers could be called at first. Then the next step will be to finalise products that will be displayed for sale from the entrepreneurs. CDS will ensure the regular supply including logistics from the production house of the entrepreneurs to the outlets. Services of the Micro Enterprise Consultants (MECs) could be used for the same. A fixed amount will be collected from the entrepreneurs for display of their products in the marketing outlets. This amount will be paid to the outlet operators/management team. Rs 5 lakh is earmarked for setting up each of these permanent marketing outlets.

The activity of selecting the permanent marketing outlets is progressing. 100 uniformly branded marketing outlets would be set up by November. Following that, the geo tagging would be done. Once these marketing outlets would be functional, a new avenue will be opened for the Kudumbashree entrepreneurs for ensuring a permanent income of their own and the public will get an opportunity to use the agricultural and non agricultural products produced by NHG women.

Yet another Kerala Chicken Sales Outlet has started functioning at Kodungallur of Thrissur. Shri. V. R. Sunil Kumar, MLA, Kodungallur Constituency officially inaugurated the sales outlet at Kodungallur on 19 August 2020. The sales outlet is run by Ms. Seetha Balakrishnan of Aishwarya NHG under Kodungallur 1 CDS. For delivering broiler chicken regularly to this outlet, a contract has been made with 3 poultry farmers. The sales outlets are being opened, as part of entering the phase of extending the advantages of the Kerala Chicken programme to the public.

In addition to the sales outlet started at Kodungallur, 2 new sales outlets of Kerala Chicken have been started at Mulavukad and Sreemoolanagaram of Ernakulam district. The outlet at Mulavukad is run by Ms. Treesa, Ms. Shibi & Ms. Livera, Kudumbashree members from Mulavukad panchayath. The sales outlet at Sreemoolanagaram is run by Ms Ramla Subair, who is the member of the same CDS. A tie up has been made with 33 poultry farmers for the sales outlets in the district.

The first sales outlet of Kudumbashree as part of Kerala Chicken Programme was started in North Paravoor of Ernakulam district during June 2020. An average daily sales of Rs 21,000 is recorded at the sales outlet opened at North Paravoor. The enterprise was started by Ms. Renuka Rajan of Anaswara NHG under the Ezhikkara CDS. By opening such Kerala Chicken outlets Kudumbashree aims at making available good quality chicken to the public at reasonable rates. Kerala Chicken Programme was started envisaging the sustainable change in the broiler chicken market of Kerala.

Kudumbashree is formulating special activities for the LEAP (Local Employment Assurance Programme), which aims at extending employment to at least 5 people locally in every panchayath, as Kudumbashree has an important role to play in the implementation of the programme. As part of this, various activities are progressing in the Local bodies. LEAP project is one of the important projects announced in the 2020-21 State Budget of the Government of Kerala.

Through these activities, Kudumbashree kept the goals of identifying beneficiaries from the Kudumbashree NHGs at first. The next goal is to provide skill training to at least 40,000 Kudumbashree members or their family members. Thereafter, the next aim is to bring all the interested among them to the formation of enterprises. Kudumbashree encourages enterprises in production as well as service sectors, and wants to ensure that these entrepreneurs earn a monthly income of a minimum of Rs 10,000. Online Data Collection is ongoing in the NHGs through CDS to identify those who are interested in becoming part of the LEAP Project training, which would be implemented through Kudumbashree. After analysing these data, a two day General Orientation Training would be extended on the various livelihood projects and skill training programmes of Kudumbashree, Local Self Government Department and other Government Departments. The programmes of Kudumbashree viz., ARISE, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), agricultural programmes etc, that would help in securing wage employment or self employment (through new enterprises) would be introduced during the training.

The interested members would be extended awareness on the livelihood opportunities that could be started locally and in the respective districts. They will also be sensitised about the challenges and opportunities of the same. Through empaneled agencies, training would be extended. Necessary skill training will also be provided to ensure enterprise formation by those who are interested. In addition, existing enterprises would be provided with relentless support. A system will be put in place to solve their problems, as part of this LEAP programme. Through the support system, the entrepreneurs would be extended financial assistance. Also they will be provided support in making avail innovative technologies. Needed training and handholding will be provided as well.

It is aimed to complete the selection of the beneficiaries by the mid of September. General Orientation Training will be provided within one month and Skill training will be provided before December. Later, activities for enterprise formation or support to get wage employment will be organised. As of now, there are more than 26,000 micro enterprises in Kerala registered as Kudumbashree units. Through these enterprises, around 1 lakh NHG members are finding their livelihood. It is expected that by implementing LEAP projects for enterprise formation, a minimum of 5000 new enterprises would be started. The aim of implementing the LEAP programme is to help 10,000+ people to identify livelihoods of their own.

കുടുംബശ്രീ വഴി നടപ്പാക്കുന്ന സ്റ്റാര്‍ട്ടപ്പ് വില്ലേജ് എന്റര്‍പ്രണര്‍ഷിപ്പ് പ്രോഗ്രാമിന്റെ ഭാഗമായി കഴിഞ്ഞവര്‍ഷം മികച്ച പ്രവര്‍ത്തനം നടത്തിയ ബ്ലോക്കുകളില്‍ ഇടുക്കി ജില്ലയിലെ ഇടുക്കി ബ്ലോക്കിന് ഒന്നാം സ്ഥാനം. കേരളത്തിലെ തെരഞ്ഞെടുത്ത 14 ബ്ലോക്കുകളില്‍, ആ പ്രദേശത്തെ വിഭവങ്ങള്‍ പരമാവധി ഉപയോഗിച്ച് കൊണ്ട് ആ പ്രദേശത്ത് ആവശ്യമുള്ള സംരംഭങ്ങള്‍ ആരംഭിക്കുന്നതിനായി കുടുംബശ്രീ അംഗങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് പ്രോത്സാഹനം നല്‍കുന്ന പദ്ധതിയാണ് എസ്‌വിഇപി. സംരംഭങ്ങളുടെ രൂപീകരണ ലക്ഷ്യത്തിന്റെ പൂര്‍ത്തീകരണം, സംരംഭങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് നിയമസാധുതയുണ്ടാക്കല്‍, അരക്ഷിത സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ഉള്‍പ്പെടുത്തല്‍, സോഫട്‌വെയര്‍ അപ്‌ഡേഷന്‍ തുടങ്ങീ പത്തോളം ഘടകങ്ങളുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലാണ് ജില്ലകളെ വിലയിരുത്തിയത്. മലപ്പുറം ജില്ലയിലെ നിലമ്പൂര്‍, കോട്ടയം ജില്ലയിലെ വൈക്കം, കാസര്‍ഗോഡ് ജില്ലയിലെ നീലേശ്വരം, എറണാകുളം ജില്ലയിലെ വടവുകോട് എന്നീ ബ്ലോക്കുകളാണ് യഥാക്രമം രണ്ട് മുതല്‍ അഞ്ച് വരെയുള്ള സ്ഥാനത്ത്.

   2017ല്‍ കേരളത്തില്‍ 14 ബ്ലോക്കുകളിലും ആരംഭിച്ച ഈ പദ്ധതിയിലൂടെ നാല് വര്‍ഷം കൊണ്ട് 26,034 സംരംഭങ്ങള്‍ ആരംഭിക്കാനാണ് ലക്ഷ്യമിട്ടത്. എസ്.വി.ഇ.പി പദ്ധതിയുടെ ഭാഗമായി തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്ത എല്ലാ ബ്ലോക്കുകളിലും ബ്ലോക്ക് നോഡല്‍ സൊസൈറ്റി ഫോര്‍ എന്റര്‍പ്രൈസ് പ്രൊമോഷന്‍ (ബി.എന്‍.എസ്.ഇ.പി.) തുടങ്ങുകയും കുടുംബശ്രീയില്‍ നിന്നുള്ള മൈക്രോ എന്റര്‍പ്രൈസ് കണ്‍സള്‍ട്ടന്റുമാരെ (എം.ഇ.സി.) തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. ബ്ലോക്കിലെ സി.ഡി.എസ്സ്. ഭരണസമിതികളിലെ സി.ഡി.എസ്സ് ചെയപേഴ്സണമാര്‍, എം.ഇ ഉപസമിതി കണ്‍വീനര്‍മാര്‍ എന്നിവരാണ് ബി.എന്‍.എസ്.ഇ.പി യുടെ ഭരണസമിതി. ഇപ്രകാരമുള്ള ബി.എന്‍.എസ്.ഇ.പി ഭരണസമിതിയുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തില്‍ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്ന എം.ഇ.സി മാരുടെ പിന്തുണയോടെയാണ് സംരംഭങ്ങള്‍  തുടങ്ങാന്‍ താത്പര്യമുള്ളവരെ കണ്ടെത്തുന്നതും പരിശീലനം നല്‍കുന്നതും ആവശ്യമുള്ള കൈത്താങ്ങ് നല്‍കുന്നതും. പദ്ധതി ആരംഭിച്ച് 2 വര്‍ഷം പിന്നിടുമ്പോള്‍ 11,212 സംരംഭങ്ങളാണ് കേരളത്തിലെ 14 ബ്ലോക്കുകളിലായി ഇതുവരെ ആരംഭിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളത്.

Through the Chief Minister's Helping Hand Loan Scheme, which is being implemented through Kudumbashree was started from 23 April, Rs 1782.82 crores bank loan has already been provided to Kudumbashree members until now. Also loan applications of Rs 1958.12 crores have been submitted to banks. As per the statistics till 17 August, Rs 1782.82 crores is already received by NHGs as bank loan.1,92,172 NHGs have received loans and a total of 22,37,588 NHG members have received the loan amount.

Chief Minister's Helping Hand Loan Scheme (CMHLS) is the interest free loan scheme launched to extend temporary assistance to those who lost their income during the crisis of covid-19. After the floods of 2018, the Resurgent Kerala Loan Scheme (RKLS) was successfully implemented through Kudumbashree. It is the success of that which led the Government of Kerala to decide to implement the Chief Minister's Helping Hand Loan Scheme (CMHLS) programme through Kudumbashree. The plan was to provide Rs 2000 crores as Interest Free bank Loan.

In the first phase of implementation, discussion was held with the banks and the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) expressed their willingness to give loans at 9 % interest. Government agreed to provide interest subsidies to the NHGs. As it is an interest free loan, it was decided to limit the loan to Rs 2000 crores as per the Government decision and the loan limit for CDSs and NHGs were fixed.

This is a novel project implemented by Kudumbashree NRO. Vulnerability Reduction Plan (VRP) programme aims at mainstreaming the vulnerable families (Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, women headed households, victims of human trafficking, those facing physical- mental disabilities etc) of a selected area. This programme , which is part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), is being implemented by NRO in association with Tripura State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM).

VRP is implemented by Village Organisations (VO), which are formed as a federation of 10-15 Self Help Groups-SHGs in every panchayath. The vulnerable families are identified on the basis of different criteria and the details of these families are enlisted at first. Out of the selected families, the most vulnerable families are earmarked and Vulnerability Reduction Plans are prepared considering their various needs. The aim is to reduce their vulnerability. Out of these needs, some are solved by SRLM through their own projects. Some other needs are addressed through departmental projects (of other departments) and some could be directly done by the Village Organisations. This way, the needs of the vulnerable families are fulfilled. Then, they will be made part of the SHG network and many other activities will be undertaken to mainstream vulnerable families.

The first of its kind activity (support for VRP) was implemented in Kunjaban Gram Panchayat of Matabari Block of Tripura on 28 November 2018. Plans were formulated for many such as Hiran Bala Das, a 65 year old woman with a 21 year old intellectually disabled daughter with no regular source of income apart from the old age pension, and to many like Dhirendra Das, a widowed 71 year old man again with no other source of income apart from the old age pension etc. The mapping was then piloted in Maa Durga VO of Muhiripur Gram Panchayat in Jolaibari Block on 31 July 2019. The details of 216 families were collected then. After the detailed analysis, it was found that 12 families are more vulnerable and are in need of emergency assistance. Special plans were prepared for them. Rs 58,000 was given as Vulnerability Reduction Fund (VRF) through SRLM. In some panchayats, VRP plans were submitted as part of their Annual Action Plans.

NRO extended many supports/ consultancy / assistance to the Village Organisations in the blocks of Tripura where NROs support was requested. NRO provides support in many aspects of implementation of VRP. Kudumbashree NRO had prepared a special module for VRP implementation in Tripura. Also, NRO helped the state to frame strategies for identifying the vulnerable families. Also, support was extended for coordinating training and for preparing the VRP plans. Mentors and coordinators of Kudumbashree NRO are doing these activities based on the work experience they earned while implementing the Ashraya Programme in Kerala. Kudumbashree National Resource Organisation (NRO) the wing of Kudumbashree that provides consultancy and support to various states and union territories in the country as per their requests.