The programme of extending media training to Kudumbashree NHG members associating with Media Academy, the State Government Institution which extends training in the media sector, has been started. The training of the first batch has been completed and the training of the second batch is ongoing. Shri. S.Suhas IAS, District Collector, Ernakulam had given away the certificates to the participants of the first batch who successfully completed the training, at the function held at the Collector's Chamber, Collectorate, Ernakulam.

Those who received prior training as per the Mediashree Programme were selected for this training. The training is extended for 27 members who expressed their interest to take part in the programme. The training was started  from 15 February 2021 onwards and will come to an end on 8 March 2021. The training is being provided in two batches which consists of 14 and 13 members respectively maintaining the covid protocol.
 
It is expected that the members would be able to handle the camera well and take good quality photos and videos using the mobile phone, once this ten day training programme would be complete. It is hoped that they will be able to function in the media sector by identifying the opportunities in the local level. Kudumbashree expects that they would be able to secure a livelihood opportunity in this sector once they will start getting the opportunities from Kudumbashree as well.  The training of the first batch was held during 15-25 February 2021. The second batch training would be held during 26 February 2021- 8 March 2021. 

The classes are led by the eminent personalities in the visual media, photography and videography sector.The topics such as photography, videography, video editing etc are dealt during the 10 day training. It is anticipated that this training, which is being extended under the leadership of Media Academy would bring greater changes in their life.

Kudumbashree Disinfection teams which were formed under the leadership of Kudumbashree for countering covid-19 pandemic have secured an income of half a crore rupees. Kudumbashree formed disinfection teams in the enterprise model so as to make maximum of the opportunity received in a new sector as most of them had lost opportunities in various sectors due to the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic. Kudumbashree disinfection units were formed after giving proper training, as the agencies providing services for the disinfection in the districts could not meet the demand because of the rise of Covid-19 cases. Kudumbashree Disinfection teams were able to make income of more than half crore rupees in the last five months.

Mostly, Haritha Karma Sena members came forward to form such units for earning additional income. Persons who are not part of Haritha Karma Sena have also formed disinfection teams. 704 people across the state were extended training in disinfection activities under the leadership of the officials of the Health Department and Fire and Rescue Officials. Out of them, 653 had made registrations in the enterprise model and have started 118 enterprises. Out of these enterprises,105 of them are actively functioning now. They have received 2309 orders until now and have secured income of Rs 51,07,296 through this.

Kudumbashree entrepreneurs could secure a better income during this crisis situation. It is expected that these units will receive various opportunities to disinfect the polling booths in connection with the upcoming Legislative Assembly Elections as well. Those who wish to avail their services may contact them. By forming Disinfection Units in the enterprise model, Kudumbashree was able to make best interventions to resolve an important social issue.

Kudumbashree has bagged the National Award for efficiently implementing the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) programme in Kerala for the assessment year 2019-20. Kudumbashree is receiving this Award constituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India for the third consecutive year. During 2017-18, Kudumbahsree had secured third prize and during 2018-19, Kudumbashree had bagged the second prize. Now, Kudumbashree has secured the third prize again and has been able to make a hat trick achievement. Kudumbashree could steadily sustain the best performance at the national level. Kudumbashree received the  letter confirming the award from the Government of India. 

The special feature of the Award is that the prize money is given as additional financial allocation for the project implementation. During the last two years, Kudumbashree had additionally received Rs 6 crores and Rs 9 crores respectively as Kudumbashree had bagged the awards.  Kudumbashree has received the intimation from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India that we would additionally receive Rs 6 crores as we had secured the award this year.

During the last four years, Kudumbashree had bagged as many awards in the national level in addition to the award received for the NULM Programme.  During this period, Kudumbashree had secured more than 10 National Awards. National Award for the excellent implementation of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY) skill training programme for three consecutive years,  Best Performance Award constituted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for the efficient implementation of the bank linkage of the NHGs,  the Best Practice Award constituted by HUDCO for completing the construction of the houses of  Pradhan Manthri Awas Yojana -Urban (PMAY-U)-LIFE through Kudumbashree Women Construction Groups are a few among them.

The software for monitoring the functioning of the Janakeeya Hotels was launched by Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala at the function held at Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Thrissur on 17 February 2021. In addition, the Honourable Minister released the book prepared on the details of various Janakeeya Hotels functioning across the state during the meeting.

The software for the Janakeeya Hotels was prepared through the Start Up Mission. The software was designed by a company named as 'Collabel', after completing the procedures at the Start Up Mission. The bills of the Janakeeya Hotels will be given through E- PoS machines. The details of the daily meals would be available at Kudumbashree website, once these details will be entered through this software. In addition, the stock register and accounting activities of the Janakeeya Hotels could be entered through this software. The details and bills of the rice bought from the Civil Supplies Department to the Janakeeya Hotels will also be entered in the software. The entrepreneurs of the Janakeeya Hotels will be provided with training for using this software from next week. It is expected to start using the software at all the Janakeeya Hotels from 1 March 2021 onwards.

The book prepared on the Janakeeya Hotels has 140 articles altogether. There are 10 articles each from all the 14 districts.

The number of Janakeeya Hotels, the hotel chain that serves meals at Rs 20 across the state, has now become 903. It is expected to achieve the target of completing 1000 Janakeeya Hotels by 31 March 2021.

Kudumbashree is allotted special shelf space at 500 outlets of Supplyco. Shri. P. Thilothaman, Hon. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Government of Kerala officially inaugurated the programme on 11 February 2021. Shri. A C Moideen, Hon. Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala presided over the meeting. The space is allotted at outlets such as supermarkets, hypermarkets and people bazaars for marketing Kudumbashree products. The shelves for the inauguration were set up at the Supplyco Hypermarkets at Vazhuthacaud and Sreekaryam of Thiruvananthapuram district.

As per the contract between Kudumbashree and Supplyco, Kudumbashree products would be available for sale at the retail outlets of Supplyco in Kerala. Shelves of dimension, 1.5 x 0.90 x 0.3 metres (height x length x width) are allotted for Kudumbashree products. Various products of 10 entrepreneurs such as curry powders, pickles, flour etc would be made available through these two centres.

The convergence programme with Supplyco is the new step of Kudumbashree in the marketing sector. Supplyco has around 1600 retail outlets such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, people bazaars, maveli stores in Kerala. Supplyco has agreed to give a special shelf space at the outlets (supermarkets, hypermarkets and people bazaars).It is expected that about 4000 Kudumbashree entrepreneurs will get benefited when 500 Supplyo Retail Outlets across the state would start selling Kudumbashree products.

The activities for arranging the products at these centres are coordinated under the leadership of Kudumbashree MECs (Micro Enterprise Consultant) and sales team. They would also coordinate the activity of arranging the products at regular intervals as per the stock. Kudumbashree envisage arranging this marketing opportunity for Kudumbashree entrepreneurs at 500 locations within the upcoming 60 days. In the second phase, Kudumbashree's marketing team would analyse whether we can market Kudumbashree products through Maveli stores, based on the feedback received on the first phase.

The prizes for the winners of 'Kudumbashree Oru Nerchithram’ Photography Competition 2019- 20 (Season 3) was distributed by Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala at the function held at Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Thrissur on 17 February 2021. Shri. T.J Vargheese, Thaivelikkakath House, Pachalam, Ernakulam had bagged the first prize.The Award consisting of Memento, Certificate and cash prize of Rs 20,000 was presented to him.

Shri. P.P Ratheesh, Photographer, Mathrubhumi Palakkad unit came second and Shri. Dinesh Insight, Adithi Nilayam, Kottakanni, Kasaragod came in third place. Award consisting of Memento, Certificate and cash prize of Rs 10,000 was presented to Shri.P.P Ratheesh and award consisting of Memento, Certificate and cash prize of Rs 5,000 was presented to Shri. Dinesh Insight. The jury consisted of Shri. G. Pramod, Chief Photographer, Deshabhimani, Shri. V. Vinod, Chief Photographer, Information and Public Relations Department, Smt. U.S. Rakhi, News Photographer, and Smt. Asha Vargheese, Director, Kudumbashree Mission had selected the winners.

Kudumbashree Mission which envisions eradicating poverty through women in Kerala, conducted the photography competition for motivating the aspiring photographers and to propagate the activities of Kudumbashree Mission through photographs.The contestants were directed to submit photographs that reflect the various activities of Kudumbashree Mission. Rs 1000 each will be issued for 10 entries as consolation prizes. K.Pramod, Praveen Kumar, Ashok Manaloor, Rakesh Puthur, Sibin Bahuleyan, Akhil. E.S, Tojo P Antony, Shiju Panthalloor, Sumesh Kottiyath, N Elango Gopan are the Consolation Prize winners.

The Photography Competition was envisaged realising that the best photographs depicting the hard work of Kudumbashree members would further boost the women empowerment process. The third season of the competition was held from 1 January 2020 to 29 February 2020. Good quality photographs portraying the strength of Kudumbashree, functioning focusing on women empowerment is considered for the ‘Kudumbashree Oru Nerchithram’ Photography Competition, which is being conducted from 2017 onwards. Like the first two seasons, the third season had also received good responses.

PK Kalan Project, which was initiated for the tribal families of the Ullada Community living in scattered houses (not as a colony or hamlet) at various locations of Alappuzha constituency has been concluded. Shri. A. K. Balan, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes  and Backward Classes, Law, Culture and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Kerala, declared the project complete in online mode on 18 February 2021. Dr T.M Thomas Issac, Minister of Finance, Government of Kerala presided over the function. He also inaugurated the office of the Ullada Traditional Wood Craft Society. The logo of the society was launched by Shri. A. K. Balan, Minister by giving it to Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree. The book, 'Micro Plan Project of Alappuzha-Experience Lessons' prepared on the implementation of PK Kalan Project was launched by Shri. A. K. Balan, Minister by giving the same to Shri. Pukazhenthi, Director, Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Government of Kerala.

The project was implemented with the financial assistance of the Scheduled Tribes Department. The project aimed at making the development possible by preparing individual micro plans for each family and fulfilling the needs as per those micro plans. Rs 5.06 crores was allotted by the Scheduled Tribes Department to Kudumbashree for the same. In the first phase of the P.K Kalan Project, 142 families were identified. But when the Project was expanded, 167 families were included as beneficiary families. As per the project, the beneficiaries were extended basic development services like construction of new houses, completion of the construction of houses which were stopped in halfway, renovation of houses, construction of toilets, electrical wiring of the houses, obtaining drinking water connection etc.

Later, Kudumbashree started the activities of securing livelihood opportunities for them. Skill training was extended to the tribal women in making coir products, in association with the Kerala State Coir Corporation (KSCC) and a livelihood opportunity was arranged for 36 people. In addition, 'Ullada Traditional Wood Craft Society' was formed of 70 tribal men who have taken wood cutting as their source of livelihood. From the success of this project, it is proven that it is possible to bring development to the poorest families, if family based micro plans are prepared and if implementation is focused as per those plans. 

Also, the Government has announced a new project in the State Budget of 2021-22 financial year, imbibing the model of P.K Kalan Project, as this project has attained success in the field level. The Government announced this project aiming at wiping off absolute poverty. As part of the project, four to five lakh poorest families in the state would be identified based on the risk factors and will be listed by conducting a state level survey. The eligible people who are included in Asraya Scheme and the families nominated by Kudumbashree and LSGIs will also be included in the list for the survey. Micro plans will be prepared for them in the model of P.K Kalan Project, and will be implemented through Kudumbashree.The Government's announcement about the new project in the State Budget, as the recognition for the methodology adopted by Kudumbashree in formulating and implementing  the P.K Kalan Project. The PK Kalan Project has set a unique model by attaining social development in the respective areas.

The process of distributing Laptops as part of Vidyashree Laptop Scheme has been started at Thiruvananthapuram on 19 February 2021. Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister, Government of Kerala officially inaugurated the process of distributing laptops as online to 200 students across the state, through Vidyashree, the convergence programme of KSFE and Kudumbashree. 15 students were given laptops in Thiruvananthapuram district as per the programme. Dr T.M Thomas Issac, Minister of Finance, Government of Kerala presided over the function.

The Government launched the Vidyashree programme in order to help the students secure laptops at affordable rates when the education system was shifted to online mode in the background of covid-19 pandemic outbreak. The laptops are made available for the NHG members at reasonable rates and those who paid Rs 1500 in the chitty were given laptops. It is the first of its kind programme in the world, where maximum discount is given and the laptops are given for the education of the children at Rs 7000. A total of 1,44,028 people have joined the chitty and 1,23,005 people have expressed their interest to buy the laptops in the requisition portal prepared for the programme. 17,343 of them have selected the laptop models as well. 

5 % interest would be borne by the Government and KSFE would bear 4% interest. Ashraya families would get the laptops at Rs 7000. SC, ST and coastal families would additionally get the subsidy fixed by the respective departments. The backward-forward communities corporations may also give subsidy to the deserving from their funds. The opportunity was given for the students to select laptops by empanelling all the laptop companies who took part in the tender and kept the technical standards. Thus Kudumbashree and KSFE became part of a socially responsible programme by giving leadership for the same. As the tender procedures are completed, more Kudumbashree members are coming forward to buy the laptops. Vidyashree Laptop Scheme had become a model programme during the crisis of covid-19 pandemic. The Chief Minister has also interacted with the students as well. 

Ministers Dr. T.M Thomas Issac and Shri. A.C Moideen and Shri. V. K Prasanth, MLA has also distributed the laptops. After the State Level Inauguration, various Ministers took part in the functions organized at various Districts and distributed the laptops. The specifications of the laptops were issued by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITES) under the leadership of the Education Department. The tender processes were completed under the leadership of the IT Mission. 
 
Smt. Sarada Muraleedharan IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala welcomed the gathering. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree explained the scheme in detail.  Shri. V . P Subramanian, Managing Director, KSFE extended vote of thanks.

Kudumbashree is all set to implement new training programme in 4 states as part of the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) of National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). NRETP is being implemented in many states under the leadership of the Ministry of Rural Development with the support of the World Bank. The aim of the project is to elevate the enterprise model to higher level (scalable enterprises). As a part of this project, NRLM had sought Kudumbashree's support to extend training to the Business Development Support Providers (BDSP), who would be appointed for increasing the business of the enterprises. Assam, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have already requested Kudumbashree's support for providing training to the BDSPs as part of NRETP. Kudumbashree had signed an MoU with National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), based on this requirement.

The aim was to develop a module for the training and thereby improve their skillsets. Kudumbashree had extended training to the Community Resource Persons (CRP-EP) of various states as part of Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP). NRLM sought Kudumbashree's expertise to extend training to the BDSPs, as Kudumbashree has previous experience in extending training to the Community Resource Persons (CRP-EP), and the NRETP Project is in the model of the SVEP Project. The activities of the BDSPs of NRETP is more challenging than that of the Community Resource Persons of SVEP. Therefore, they require more training to impart the required skill set. So Kudumbashree is planning to make the training module for the Community Resource Persons as the Basic Module for the training for BDSPs.

Kudumbashree also plans to formulate a new training module, as a Growth Module (as an additional component) to help them improve their skill sets and extend the training. In short, as per the requirement of NRLM, Kudumbashree would prepare a training programme that would consist of the Basic Module and Growth Module for the BDSPs.The training would be done completely in online mode, in the background of Covid-19 pandemic. It is a great challenge for Kudumbashree to turn the training programme for moulding the best community cadres for supporting the enterprises, completely into online mode.

Kudumbashree have also decided to prepare a Learning Management System to extend the needed training and skill development in online mode to the trainees. Various study materials such as videos on different topics, case studies, special training modules etc are included in addition to the online classes. Kudumbashree aims at making this training the best by providing this study material along with the online classes. Kudumbashree aims at starting the training in the concerned states immediately on getting final approval for these training modules.

Kudumbashree Kannur District Mission has come up with 'Kalimuttam', an innovative programme for ensuring the mental health of children.'Kalimuttam' is the programme being implemented through Kudumbashree Balasabhas by the Kannur District Administration, in the realization that their mental health needs to be improved. The District Level Inauguration of the Programme was held at English Medium School, Anjarakandy, Kannur on 28 January 2021.

The lockdown which was notified in the state due to covid-19 and the other restrictions had affected children adversely. This Comprehensive Development Programme is being implemented by bringing together all the Departments working in connection with Child Development under one roof. The programme would be implemented through Kudumbashree Balasabhas in convergence with National Health Mission, Library Council, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services). The 'Kalimuttam' Programme aims at the physical, social and mental health development of children and is implemented in four levels such as NHG level (Balasabha level), ADS level, panchayath level and State level.

The locally selected Resource Persons would communicate with the children at Balasabhas, on various topics. They would identify those children who are suffering from mental stress and ensure them the needed help under the leadership of the District Mental Health experts. Curriculum related activities, co-curricular activities, personality development classes, activities to nurture social service attitude, art-sports and cultural activities, farming activities, gender sensitization classes etc will also be implemented through this coordination programme. The programme also aims at developing a referral system for the social-mental support of the children along with organising productive and creative activities for children with their peers. The important activities being implemented through 'Kalimuttam' Programme are as follows.

1.Curricular Activities- These are activities based on the online classes attended by the students. Seeking the local history (Social Studies), arranging vegetable gardens, gardening (Botany), discussion on books, recitation (linguistic studies), bird watching and environment observation (Zoology, Botany).
2.Co-curricular Activities- Related to art (books, poems, music, handicraft making, origami), sports- related to physical fitness (cycling groups,marathon, walking).
3. Personality Development Classes, Gender Sensitization Activities (Doctor Kid- for covid response and awareness, cookery programmes and household chores-without any gender differences, cleaning house and surroundings).
4. Activities to nurture Social Service attitude- Interviews of Palliative Care workers and activities with them, cleaning public spaces and paths with social workers.

By launching such a programme associating with Kudumbashree Kannur District Mission, the Kannur District Administration had taken the upper hand in the development of the upcoming generation and for improving their mental health. The Kudumbashree Kannur District team is actively making effective interventions for implementing such an activity, converging with other governmental departments. All these activities of this programme are being implemented following the covid-19 protocol.