Kudumbashree 'Maa Care' Centres are being started in schools under the General Education Department, Government of Kerala to provide stationery products, snacks, drinks, and sanitary napkins to school children. The decision to start Maa Care Centres in all schools in the state was taken in a discussion led by  M.B.Rajesh,  Minister for Local Self-Government, Excise, and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala and V. Sivankutty, Minister for General Education, Government of Kerala, after the Maa Care Centres were started in schools in Kasaragod and Kannur districts and received positive feedback. The Maa Care Project has also been launched in Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Malappuram districts.

Maa Care Centres are being set up in school compounds. Maa Care Centres can also be set up in unused classrooms. Students and teachers can buy products from Maa Care Centres at affordable prices. Kudumbashree NHG members also get an opportunity to earn income by starting these kiosks. By providing nutritious food and other stationary products to children through Maa Care Centres inside the school compound, children can avoid going out of school for these needs during school hours. It can also prevent them from eating unhealthy food and using intoxicants.

NHG members interested in starting Maa Care Centres are also provided training for the same. Entrepreneurs will also get financial assistance to start Maa Care Centres through various schemes of Kudumbashree, Community Enterprise Fund, Linkage Loan and project share of three-tier Panchayats.

The district-level inauguration of the 'Maa Care' project was organized at the Government Higher Secondary School in Mundiyeruma Kallar under Pampadumpara CDS in Idukki district. The district-level inauguration was held at the Kulanada Panchayat Higher Secondary School in Pathanamthitta district. In Malappuram district, Maa Care Centres have also been started in schools including Pallipuram Higher Secondary School in Mankada block.

Kudumbashree Accounts and Audit Service Society-‘KAASS’ has received a Government Order to increase its audit fees. The government has issued a Government Order (G.O.(Rt) No.1557/2025 dated 23-06-2025). The audit fee increase is based on a letter sent by the Executive Director of Kudumbashree to the Government on 7 February 2025, recommending a seasonal increase in the audit fee rate of KAASS. The 478 Audit members currently working as part of the KAASS team across the state will benefit from this.

Kudumbashree Accounts and Audit Service Society is a special organization operating under Kudumbashree to conduct annual audits of Kudumbashree CDS, ADS, NHGs and Enterprises. The audit fee for auditing financial transactions up to Rs. 50 lakhs in a financial year in rural and urban CDSs is currently Rs. 7150 including chartered accountant fee. This has been increased to Rs.10,000. The audit fee for auditing financial transactions between Rs. 50 lakhs and Rs. 1 crore is Rs. 8450-10,400. This has been increased to Rs. 13,000. The audit fee for auditing financial transactions between Rs. 1 crore and Rs. 5 crores has been increased from Rs. 13,000 to Rs. 20,000.

The audit fee for auditing rural and urban ADSs has been increased from Rs. 200 to Rs. 250. There has also been an increase in the fee for auditing NHGs. The current fee for auditing NHGs, including internal loans, linkage loans and other loans, has been increased to Rs. 375 for the financial year being audited. The increased fee as per the new order is for audit team members only. The fee for chartered accountants has to be paid separately by CDSs.

There has also been an increase in the fee for auditing NHGs. The current fee for auditing NHGs, including internal loans, linkage loans and other loans, has been increased to Rs. 375 from Rs. 325 for the financial year being audited. The increased fee as per the new order is for audit team members only. The fee for Chartered Accountants has to be paid separately by CDSs.

A new fee has also been fixed for auditing Kudumbashree enterprises. The audit fee is Rs. 2,500 for enterprises with an annual turnover of up to Rs. 10 lakhs and Rs 5,000 for enterprises with a turnover between Rs. 10 and 25 lakhs. The audit fee is Rs. 8,000 for enterprises with an annual turnover of 25 lakhs to 50 lakhs and Rs. 13,000 for enterprises with an annual turnover of above Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 1 crore. The entrepreneurs have to pay Rs. 16,000 for enterprises with an annual turnover between Rs. 1 crore and Rs. 5 crores and Rs. 18,000 for enterprises above Rs. 5 crores.

This is the second time since this Government came to power that the audit fee of the KAASS Audit Division has been increased. The Audit Fee was previously increased in 2022. In addition, the salary of Kudumbashree MIS Block Coordinators was increased from Rs.15,000 to Rs. 20,000. In addition, the Government had ordered a monthly Travel Allowance of Rs. 500 to CDS members, except CDS Chairpersons.

A training programme was organized through Kudumbashree units working in the Animal Husbandry sector to prepare value-added products, conduct marketing in a better way and process meat. The training, jointly organized by Kudumbashree and Kerala Veterinary University Meat Science and Technology was held at Mannuthi Veterinary College, Thrissur from 19 to 21 June 2025.

A 24-member team comprising Master Resource Persons, CRPs and Farmer Producer Company Promoters from various districts participated in the first batch of training. The training included practical classes on meat processing, preparation of value-added products and marketing. Kudumbashree aims to train a total of 80 people. After the training, the Kudumbashree Animal Husbandry Department will also conduct various activities to promote value-added product manufacturing and entrepreneurship in the meat processing sector.
 
Dr. V.N. Vasudevan, Associate Professor, Meat Science and Technology presided over the function and Dr. Ally. K, Dean, Veterinary College, Mannuthy, inaugurated the function. Dr. Salil, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Thrissur District Mission was the Chief Guest of the function. Sathu.T, Assistant Professor, Meat Science and Technology delivered the felicitation. Brijith Baby, Section Officer, Meat Science and Technology welcomed the gathering and  Dr. Irshad. A, Assistant Professor delivered the vote of thanks.

A State-Level Workshop for mentors of the 'Liora Fest', was organized to develop scientific awareness and personality development skills among Kudumbashree Balasabha members. A total of 150 children, ten children each, have been selected from each district and Attappady. A team of 16 Mentors has been selected from each district and Attappady to provide training to them.

These mentors will provide one-year training to Balasabha members during the holidays. Modules for this have been prepared as part of the workshop. The mentors are members of the state-level academic group formed by Kudumbashree, including educationists, researchers, retired teachers, and retirees from various research institutions.

During the training period, the children will formulate development ideas that can be implemented in various fields, including science and technology. They will then be given the opportunity to present these to the general public and at the Innovation Conclave proposed to be organized by Kudumbashree in January 2026. With an emphasis on achieving academic excellence, study camps, discussions, seminars, artistic programmes, investigative projects, cultural gatherings, etc. will be organized as part of the fest this year.

Dr. B. Sreejith, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Arun P. Rajan, State Programme Manager, Kudumbashree, Swathi Krishnan, State Assistant Programme Manager, Kudumbashree and Jishnu Gopan, State Assistant Programme Manager, Kudumbashree gave leadership to the workshop organized at the State Agricultural Management And Extension Training Institute (SAMETI), Thiruvananthapuram.

The Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission has launched an anti-drug campaign called 'Kaliyum Kalikkalavum' (Play & Playground) to combat drug addiction with the aim of eliminating the consumption of drugs among children, creating awareness about their ill effects, and guiding them towards the addiction of sports. This year-long campaign is being organized by the Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission in collaboration with the District Child Welfare Committee.

As part of the campaign, a year-long sustainable drug prevention programme has been planned to divert children to various sports and free them from other addictions. Awareness will be created through NHGs, School PTAs, and Residents Associations, and playgrounds will be prepared in all 920 wards of the district in collaboration with Kudumbashree ADSs. In the first phase, the focus will be on sports such as football and badminton. Children's teams will be formed and ward, panchayat, block and district level competitions will be organized.

The district level inauguration of the campaign was performed by George Abraham, President, District Panchayat at Government Higher Secondary School, Konni on 12 June 2025. S. Premkrishnan IAS, District Collector, Pathanamthitta released the logo release and delivered the keynote address. R. Ajith Kumar, Vice President, District Child Welfare Committee presided over the function. Ajayakumar R, Chairman of the District Panchayat Health and Education Standing Committee, distributed the cash award and  memento to Divija Jayakumar of Konni Republican Higher Secondary School, who designed the logo.

Shajahan T.K, District, Programme Manager, Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission welcomed the gathering and G. Ponnamma, Secretary, District Child Welfare Committee proposed the vote of thanks. Representatives, Kudumbashree employees, School Office Bearers, teachers and others were also present at the function.

A two-day workshop on Social Inclusion - Annual Action Plan was organized in Thiruvananthapuram to finalize the outline of the project activities to be carried out by Kudumbashree in the Scheduled Tribes sector for the financial year 2025-26. H. Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree inaugurated the workshop organized at the Agricultural Co-operative Staff Training Institute (ACSTI) in Manvila, Thiruvananthapuram on 18-19 June 2025.

Kudumbashree's 2025-26 Annual Action Plan has allocated Rs. 25 crores for activities in the local area, including its own fund and the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) fund. Kudumbashree will focus more on NHG formation, converting existing NHGs into self-sufficient NHGs, and economic and social empowerment activities in the local area this year.

It will also strengthen enterprise formation in agriculture, animal husbandry, and traditional employment sectors to provide more livelihood opportunities. Project activities such as reorganization of the Bridge Course, formation of Child Creativity Centre, Communicore, Kanas Jaga 2.0, K-TIC (Kudumbashree Tribal Enterprises and Innovation Centre), Jan Gatsa will also be carried out. Kudumbashree will also carry out special activities in the indigenous sector this financial year as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the formation of the Scheduled Tribes Development Department.

45 people including Assistant District Mission Co-ordinators in charge of Social Inclusion Section, District Programme Managers, District Animator Co-ordinators, Special Project Co-ordinators and Assistant Co-ordinators also participated in the workshop. Dr. B. Sreejith, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree,  Prabhakaran Melath, State Programme Manager, Kudumbashree, Daniel Libni, State Assistant Programme Manager, and Preetha. G, State Assistant Programme Manager led the workshop.

As part of the efforts to make paper pens, bags, files and handicrafts prepared by trainees at Kudumbashree BUDS Institutions available across the country, Kudumbashree and Amigosia Private Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. In the BUDS Institutions run by Kudumbashree in collaboration with local self-government institutions for those facing intellectual challenges, trainees prepare a number of products such as paper pens, bags, files and handicrafts.

Kudumbashree aims to find new markets for BUDS Products, ensure income for trainees and achieve financial self-reliance. Amigosia will carry out activities including branding and marketing to make BUDS Products available online and offline across the country. In the first phase, the products prepared by BUDS trainees will be made available on the Kudumbashree Pocket Mart Mobile Application. Currently, the products of BUDS Institutions are mainly sold through marketing fairs and training programmes.

As per the MoU, Amigosia Private Limited will purchase the products produced by BUDS Students in bulk and later make them available across the country through various marketing channels. H. Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree and Arun N, Director, Amigosia Private Limited signed the MoU in the presence of M.B. Rajesh, Minister for Local Self-Government, Excise and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala on 17 June 2025. Dr. B. Sreejith, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Naveen C, Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Dineshan Cheruvath, Panchayat Director (Rural), Ranjini S, Assistant Manager, Amigosia Private Limited, Arun P. Rajan, State Programme Manager, Kudumbashree and Jishnu Gopan, State Assistant Programme Manager, Kudumbashree also attended the ceremony organized at the Minister's Chamber.

Kudumbashree celebrated World Milk Day on 1 June 2025 with various programmes like awareness classes, honoring dairy farmers, competitions, and preparation of various dairy products. The programmes were organized  at the district, CDS, and block levels under the leadership of the Kudumbashree Animal Welfare Department from 1 to 9 June 2025.

The idea of this year's World Milk Day was to celebrate the power of milk together. The objectives of the Milk Day celebration were to promote milk consumption, create awareness about the nutritional benefits of milk among children, adolescent girls, elderly people, and members of the community who face nutritional challenges, honor dairy farmers, and promote dairy production units.

A very different activity was the one in which the Community Resource Persons of the Animal Husbandry Department of the respective CDSs purchased milk from Kudumbashree dairy farmers and prepared and distributed milk and milk porridge to the Buds Institution trainees in connection with the BUDS Institutional Entrance Ceremony organized on 2 June 2025.

Awareness classes for dairy farmers led by veterinarians, free distribution of fodder for cattle and sheep, felicitation of best dairy farmers, drawing competitions on the theme of 'Milk Day' for Kudumbashree Balasabha members, quiz competitions, exhibition and marketing of value-added products, farm visits, distribution of milk in Anganwadis, and awareness classes on the importance of milk for Kudumbashree members were organized at the CDS level. These programmes were organized by involving local people's representatives, CDS members, Pashu Sakhis, veterinarians and other concerned department heads.

Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission organized a district-level Milk Day celebration in collaboration with the Dairy Department. Kudumbashree Kannur District Mission organized a district-level dairy farmers' meeting and seminar on 4 June 2025. Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission, in collaboration with Milma, organized an exposure visit for Community Resource Persons to the  Milma Dairy Unit at Kanhangad, Kasaragod. Awareness classes were also given to them. Kudumbashree Palakkad District Mission organized a Milk Festival programme in collaboration with various departments. An awareness session for farmers, machinery expo, and felicitation of dairy farmers were held as part of this. Kudumbashree Alappuzha District Mission organized a seminar on the topic of 'Value-Added Products from Milk'. Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission organized special seminars and quiz competitions.

Pepper, known as the black gold, is the king of spices. To solve the rising price of pepper, which is widely used for cooking and health care, the Kudumbashree Kannur District Mission has launched a unique project. Through this project, 'One Pepper Seedling in Every House', it will be ensured that at least one pepper plant is cultivated in the kitchen gardens of the NHGs in the district.

The project was launched on the occasion of World Environment Day, on 5 June 2025. Until 5 July 2025, pepper seedlings will be distributed to the NHGs in all 81 CDSs in the district through NHGs, collective farming groups and IFC (Integrated Farming Cluster). Hybrid pepper seedlings from Kudumbashree organic nurseries in the district are being distributed. In the first phase, about three lakh saplings will be distributed and planted in the homes of the NHG members.

The project was inaugurated by T. Sulaja,  President, Kadannappally-Panapuzha Panchayat at the Paravur Kundayad Anganwadi on 5 June 2025. M.V. Jayan, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Kannur District Mission, K. Mohanan, Vice President, Kadannappally-Panapuzha Panchayat, K.G. Bindu, CDS Chairperson, T.V. Sudhakaran, Chairman, Welfare Affairs Standing Committee, N. Karthiyani, Chairperson, Health and Education Standing Committee, M.V. Pavithran, Member Secretary and P.V. Swapna, Block Co-ordinator were present at the function. Saiju Padmanabhan, District Programme Manager, Kudumbashree explained the project.

A two-day awareness training was organized for the District Programme Managers & Field Level Officers working as part of the Kudumbashree Animal Husbandry on various schemes implemented in the Animal Husbandry sector by Government Departments concluded on 12 June 2025. The aim is to increase income and create more employment opportunities for the NHGs who earn their livelihood through the Animal Husbandry sector by participating in this training programme and gaining knowledge about various government schemes.

As part of the various animal welfare programmes of Kudumbashree, NHGs are currently involved in diverse activities such as cattle rearing, fish farming, and value-added product manufacturing. 86 people participated in the awareness training provided on various projects implemented by the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Departments, and the possibilities of integration with the Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Industries Department, Lead Bank, Suchithwa Mission and Employment Guarantee Mission.

Dr. Manu Raveendran, Veterinary Surgeon, Koshy K. Alex, Director (Planning), Dairy Development Department, Biju, Dairy Development Officer, Pathanapuram Block, Shibana, Senior Dairy Extension Officer, Sreetha, Dairy Extension Officer (Training), Nibin, Fisheries Extension Officer, Raviraj, Joint Director, Employment Guarantee Mission, Arun Joy, Technical Consultant, Suchithwa Mission, Jaya Mohan,  Lead Bank Manager, Shinu S.S, Senior Superintendent, Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Dr. Rajesh, Industrial Development Officer conducted the classes. Dr. Vandana Sasidharan, Kudumbashree State Programme Manager and Shani Nassar, State Assistant Program Manager led the training programme.