Following the success of the Saras Mela 2017 held at Malappuram, Kudumbashree Members took part in the Saras fair held at  Ahmedabad, Gujarath from 15 to 26 September 2017. A six member team from Kudumbashree joined the Saras Fair. There was a high demand for the products from Kerala. The people of Gujarat were offered a chance to taste the ethnic food and products of Kerala.

Receiving a warm welcome from Saras Fair held at Gujarat, Kudumbashree Mission is  planning  active participation in the Saras Fairs in other states. The Saras Mela 2017 held at Malappuram offering the best of traditional food and artistry had carved out a new era in the history by drawing huge crowds and making a record sale of Rs 6.5 crores.The Saras fair had played a major role in providing a unique platform for developing linkages between artisans and craftsman all around the country with buyers and customers.

Identity cards will be issued to all eligible street vendors before 1 November 2017. Dr K.T Jaleel, Minister for Local Self Government Department will make the official announcement regarding the completion of the issuing of ID cards on the same day at Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The eligible street vendors were found out from the survey conducted by National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) through Kudumbashree, the nodal agency in Kerala. Hence, Kerala became the first state in the country to issue Identity cards to street vendors. The suggestion was put forward by the State Level Advisory Committee presided by Dr K.T Jaleel, Minister for Local Self Government Department, called as per the guidelines of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

NULM survey has been completed in every urban local bodies and the distribution of identity cards has been completed in 4 urban local bodies. After ID card distribution, license will be issued to the street vendors. Even though, 'No objection Certificate' from Public Works Department and National Highways Department are needed in this regard, license will be issued to those function according to the rules and regulations issued by Town Vending Committee. No hindrance should be created to the transportation as well as to the pedestrians, removal of the waste in street vendors own risks and the removal of the properties from the vending place as the sale is over are the regulations put forward them.

The guidelines for improving the quality of life of the street vendors are included in the programme. The training programmes for improving their skills are also included. Steps would also be taken to get them financial assistance from financial institutions. Shri T.K Jose IAS, Principal Secretary, Shri S.Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission, Smt. Haritha V Kumar IAS, Director, Urban Affairs, Smt.S.Nisha, Director, Kudumbashree Mission, representatitives from the urban local bodies, officers from the Planning Board, and Shri U.Pokker, Representative of the Street Vending Union attended the State Level advisory Committee Meeting.

The project for issuing Houses for those who have atleast one cent of land gets state wide approval in 9 urban local bodies. Therefore eveyone who own plots in urban local bodies will get houses of their own. The programme is implemented by Pradhan Manthra Awas Yojana Programme under Central- State Ministries working with the mission of achieving 'Housing for All'.

The work regarding this is in progress under 93 municipalities. Guruvayur, Kunnankulam,Ottapalam, Pala, Perumbavur,Chavakkad, Koothuparambu and Valancherry are the urban local bodies who submitted the plans and secured state wide approval for the same.

394 in Guruvayur, 258 in Kunnamkulam 426 in Ottappalam,14 in Pala , 64 in Perumbavoor, , 888 in Chavakkadu, 410 in Koothuparambu and 315 houses in Valancherry got approval. A detailed list of the homeless in 93 urban local bodies will be submitted to central government before December 31. The project fund will be released as per the approval received. Kudumbashree is the nodal agency of PMAY in Kerala.

The programme allows 3 lakh rupees for building Houses. One and half lakh rupees will be met from the Central Government fund. The rest will be met from the State Government and Local bodies fund. State government had already given approval for making 35050 houses. Rs 1050 Crore is the estimated amount for building these houses. Construction of 11073 houses had already been started.

The programme is framed, including the factors such as Colony development, credit linked subsidy, affordable housing scheme and personal Construction.As per this years programme, 30000 houses will be finished. Kudumbashree aims to get approval for all plans for building houses this year itself. Therefore Houses for all who owns atleast one cent of land would be a reality then.

The first phase of Vulnerability mapping success. Based on these Local self government departments new projects worth 20 crore budget was submitted for the financial and social upliftment of Women and children. This has been approved by the District planning committe also. The first phase of Vulnerability Mapping being success, it is planned to conduct Vulnerability Mapping in 140 panchayaths in the state.

The projects are aiming at the social and financial upliftment of women and children. Other than Self employment, apparel unit, women medical lab, plastic shredding units, Daycare homes for geriatrics, widow livelihood, tricycle for physically handicapped, continuing projects of nirbhaya, women friendly toilets, betterment of the facilities at buds schools are the few projects submitted by panchayaths.

It was based on the vulnerability Mapping conducted in 28 different panchayaths, livelihood programmes for women in agro-micro enterprise sectors were formulated.

Vulnerability Mapping was conducted in last November. Specially trained CDS chairpersons and Gender Resource persons collected the details for the survey. Surveys were conducted visiting houses, Schools and other institutions. The report on Vulnerability mapping was submitted to the concerned panchayaths. Its on the basis of this report that new projects were framed by the panchayath.

Kudumbashree received an invitation from Azarbaijan, the former republic of soviet for helping them to launch a Programme like Kudumbashree. The preliminary talks regarding this association has been started.

A team from Kudumbashree will visit Azarbaijan to study the present scenario prevailing there. A detailed report will be prepared after the visit. Government of Azarbaijan had shown interest in Kudumbashree's organizational structure as well in Micro Enterprises and Vulnerability studies.

Acting as a National  Resource Organization, Kudumbashree presently works in 16 states.

State Resource Centre for Women was inaugurated at Kudumbashree State Mission by Smt. K. K Shailaja Teacher, Minister for Health and Social Justice Department on 13 September 2017. The district level report on Vulnerability Mapping was released by Dr. K.T Jaleel, Minister for Local Self Government Department during the programme.

It was through the association with Social Justice Department that Kudumbashree became the State Resource Centre for Women. National Mission for Empowerment of Women under the Ministry of Women and Child Development gives the financial assistance for State Resource Centre for Women.The work of Resource Centres are in progress in District and Panchayath levels. Its Snehitha Help Desk and the Gender Resource Centre working under the Local Self Government Department in Panchayath level that co ordinates the work of these centres. The centre mainly focuses in ensuring the representation of women in governance as well as in planning.

The float presented by Kudumbashree Mission during the procession marking the end of Onam Celebrations 2017 stood out by reflecting Kudumbashree's compassion and committment towards the society.It was first time in the history that an All Women Metro was started. The float's theme was based on World's First All women Metro. Kudumbashree is the facility managing partner for all the services under Kochi Metro Rail Limited.

The association had wrote a new history by extending employment opportunities to transgender community thereby bringing them to the mainstream. 23 of them were appointed. They are given job in housekeeping, crowd management and customer relations. 780 Kudumbasree women were also employed in Kochi Metro Rail Limited on different jobs like ticketing, house-keeping, parking, gardening and customer care. The appointments are part of Kudumbashree's efforts at eradicating poverty and empowering women. Therefore, Kudumbashree created two records by being part of the first organisational tie up to give job opportunities for transgender community in a governmental organisation and for powering the first women run metro in the world.

Kudumbasree had taken care to include those who had become socially-backward due to several reasons. Those include the ones who were evicted for the Metro, those with dependent families without a regular income, victims of domestic torture and widows. Kudumbasree Mission is proud that these people have been assured of a regular income now.

Every week, Kochi Metro selects Best Performer from the Facility Management Crew and recognize their efforts.

Mrs Silvi Jose of Edapally station was selected as the employee of the Month July for her dedicated work in keeping the station clean even at the time of perpetual construction works.

It was indeed a herculean task for housekeeping staffs to maintain the Edapally station premises up to the standards initially due to the perpetual construction work. The tug of war between the constructed area and the area under construction within the station with a considerably vast area of 8357 sq m left the house keeping staffs in vain. The situation demanded much more frequent and relentless execution to equate the quality standards with the other stations. The efforts Ms. Silvi Jose has taken to implement her responsibilities as a staff, is commendable and truly appreciable. About 20% of the construction work was yet to be completed when the first 2 sets of housekeeping staffs were deployed. The limited facilities and the challenges could not stop the very zeal in her. It rendered her heart and soul into the tasks and accomplished things with utmost perfection. Undoubtedly she has played a key role in bringing things to a balanced state. The sparkling floor of Edapally Station is a fable Silvi has carved with her effort which is truly remarkable.

Mrs Vinitha U.A. of House Keeping department was selected as the Best Performer for her timely action and dedication towards her work. She removed a honey comb which had an unpleasant rotten smell. Since it was in the platform area it was an obstacle for the passengers. This act of her was much appreciated and it really motivated the staff.

Ms.Sajini O S Customer facilitation Staff Pathadipalam Station also received the best performance award for the month of July 2017 for her vigilant action during an emergency situation. She is one of the most enthusiastic person in our team. Last month, in Pathadipalam station one of the passenger is about to fall from the escalator, Sajini immediately ran to the escalator and stopped it by pressing the emergency button. Her vigilant action and presence of mind was excellent. Moreover she has the calibre to handle the crowd with a pleasant smile.

Kudumbashree is feeling blissful in helping these super women in unleashing their real strengths.

Kudumbashree joins hands with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to undertake for the upkeep of the Public Convenience Facilities provided by IOCL at its Outlets. The agreement regarding this tie up was signed between Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission and Shri. P.S.Mony, Chief General Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Limited on 1 August 2017.

As a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Kerala Government intends to declare Kerala as the first Open Defecation Free (ODF) State in the Country. And in order to achieve this, objectives,Indian Oil Corporation Limited in partnership with the State Government is providing clean and well maintained Public convenience Facilities in its Outlets across the State.

Indian Oil Corporation Limited is engaged in the business of refining and marketing of various petroleum products through its Retail Outlets. In compliance with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan move of Government of India and for better standard of service to its customers, toilets/Washrooms are provided by them at the Outlets across the State. Kudumbashree Mission, a congiomeration of Self Help Groups (SHG's) engaged in various activities including House Keeping at Office premises, Railway Stations etc will therefore undertake the upkeep of the Public Convenience provided by Indian Oil Corporation Limited at its Outlets.

Kudumbashree Mission is already engaged in the housekeeping activities including upkeep of restrooms in Railways etc.

By offering a chance to taste the different ethnic cuisines across the country, 'India Food Court' set up at the Saras Mela 2017 made a huge sales. A total sales of Rs. 35,01,225 was recorded where Rs. 4,49,036 was put aside as 20% commission from daily sales of 7 Kerala stalls.

After considering the overall performance of the partner state Food stalls, there was a joint decision from the part of Malapuram District Mission team and NRO Team to recognise the efforts of the entrepreneurs from Tripura and award them as the best performing stall among the partner states.

16 food stalls were opened at 'The India Gate' food court to taste the wide range of different cuisines from different parts of the country. 7 stalls of 'Cafe Kudumbashree was also opened alongwith.

Lakshadweep, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar made noteworthy participation in the mela even though they were the first time participants in such a big event.

It can better be defined that 'India Food Court' was hosting a mega culinary festival at Saras Mela 2017.

The mela was conducted at Safari Maidan, Edappal, Malappuram from 25 August 2017 to 3 September 2017. The foodfall which happened at the saras mela during the festive season was indeed a commendable one.