Kudumbashree is providing opportunities for the NHGs who are actively involved in the agricultural, animal husbandry and entrepreneurship sectors to make the most of the potential of fish farming. Kudumbashree plans and implements several activities to create more employment opportunities in the fish farming sector. In this regard, one-day workshops have been organized in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kozhikode districts to provide a clear understanding of various aspects of fish farming to the NHGs.

To ensure additional income for the NHGs working in this sector by utilizing the potential of fish products, fisheries clusters have also been formed in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode districts. These clusters are working in collaboration with Producer Groups formed in the animal husbandry sector. More than three hundred NHGs have become part of these clusters. Cluster formation is also in progress in Malappuram, Kollam and Alappuzha districts.

As part of the awareness workshop on fisheries-based activities, classes were given on various topics such as fish processing, waste disposal in fish markets, fish marketing potential, value-added fish products and their marketing, factors to be considered while bringing fish products to the market, potential for value-added products, methods of selecting and processing quality fish to generate more profit in the market, temperature control, processing equipment, storage systems, and innovative technologies such as aquaponics and bio floc. The workshop was led by M. Shaji, National Resource Person, National Rural Livelihood Mission and former Joint Director, Marine Products Export Development Authority. More than 600 NHG members participated in the workshops organized in six districts.

With the slogan 'One lakh jobs by Onam', Kudumbashree has launched a campaign in collaboration with Vijnana Keralam to provide local jobs by providing skill training to women. The campaign was given its final shape at a review meeting of the Chairmen and Secretaries of Local Self-Government Institutions organized at Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) Headquarters Thrissur from 3 to 5 July 2025 under the chairmanship of M.B. Rajesh, Minister, Local Self-Government Department, Excise Department and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala.

Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac, Principal Advisor, Vijnana Keralam, T.V. Anupama IAS, Special Secretary, Local Self-Government Department, H. Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree and key department officials also attended the meetings. M.B. Rajesh, Minister, Local Self-Government Department, Excise Department and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala, Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac, Principal Advisor, Vijnana Keralam, Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree, U.V. Jose IAS (Retd), Executive Director, Suchithwa Mission also participated in the Press Conference organized at KILA, Thrissur on 5 July 2025.

A major problem faced by entrepreneurs in Kerala is the lack of employable workers. Meanwhile, only 20 percent of working-age women are engaged in work outside the home. Kudumbashree aims to increase this to 50 percent in a few years. Kudumbashree is initiating this through this campaign. The campaign will run from July 2025 to September 2025.

A transplantation of rice seedlings accompanied by songs, dances and rhythms. A celebration that brought together children, adults, the country and the locals. That is the 'Mazhapolima' Agricultural Revival Campaign being conducted by the Kudumbashree Kannur District Mission at the CDS level. With the endless rain, children and adults alike come forward to plant the rice seedlings, sing and dance in the fields. Along with this, art and sports competitions and food festivals are also held to celebrate the 'Mazhapolima'.

The District Mission has organized 'Mazhapolima' with the aim of making barren land cultivable, ensuring food security, attracting people including the younger generation to agriculture, and restoring agricultural culture. The campaign, which started on 20 June 2025, will be conducted in 30 CDSs in the district this time. So far, 'Mazhapolima' has been celebrated in Payam, Dharmadam, Mangattidam and Cherukunnu CDSs. This is the second consecutive year that 'Mazhapolima' is being conducted in Kannur district. In the first year, 125 acres of fallow land was cultivated.

The Kudumbashree Snehitha Extension Centres, which were started in collaboration with the Home Department in 84 DySP/ACP offices in the state, are progressing well. Emergency psychological support and counseling services are being provided to those who come to the police stations under the jurisdiction of these offices for various needs through the Extension Centre. The Snehitha Extension Centre started its operations in March this year. In a short period of time, about 1000 cases have been referred to the Snehitha Extension Centres and services have been provided. Therefore, the State-Level Monitoring Committee, which met at the Kudumbashree State Mission Office, decided to intensify the project activities in the state. Counseling services are provided at the Extension Centres two days a week through Kudumbashree's Community Counselors.

Activities to strengthen the project

• To create awareness among police officers about the Friendly Police Extension Centres and the services available through them (At the district level, officers of the rank of SHO and Sub Inspector will be specially called and jointly trained by the Home Department and Kudumbashree.
• To include this awareness training in the training syllabus for newly joining Sub Inspectors.
• To provide expert training to Community Counselors working in Extension Centres.
• In unavoidable situations, Community Counselors will conduct home visits and provide counseling and psychological support.
• Providing services locally through the Community Counselor in charge of the respective area and Snehitha Gender Help Desk for cases that do not have references from SHO and DYSP.
• Tele Counseling if necessary.
• Meeting of the District Level Monitoring Committee every month.
• Meetings at the rural and city levels in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur districts to evaluate the work.

The monitoring committee was convened under the leadership of H.Dineshan IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree, Bastin Sabu, Assistant Inspector General, Women and Children. Dr. B.Sreejith, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Dr. Mercy Joy Sebastian, Assistant Professor, Clinical Psychology, Medical College, Adv. Shinyraj, Justin Mathew, State Programme Manager, Kudumbashree and Feby D.A. and Sarika.S, State Assistant Programme Managers also attended the meeting.

Kerala shone at the FNHW Two-Day Regional Seminar organized by the Union Ministry of Rural Development in Shillong, Meghalaya. In the seminar, which was attended by fifteen states and two Union Territories, including Kerala, the excellence of various project activities implemented in Kerala through Kudumbashree in the field of social development and the achievements achieved through it were noteworthy. In the seminar organized over two days, the conference of various states commented that Kerala is a world model in the field of social development.

Kerala won applause at the seminar jointly organized by the National Rural Livelihood Mission and the National Mission Management Unit under the Union Ministry of Rural Development. Smriti Sharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, said that Kerala should be taken as a model in social development activities. Projects like Ujjeevanam implemented by Kudumbashree in the state to eradicate extreme poverty, Kanas Jaga implemented last year to foster creativity in children in indigenous areas, and K-TICK for youth in indigenous areas have won praise from other states. Various states commented at the seminar that 'Happy Keralam' implemented in the health and mental health sector, BUDS Schools for differently abled children, and BUDS Rehabilitation Centres for the elderly are also exemplary.

Apart from Kerala, the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Karnataka, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, West Bengal and the Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry participated in the seminar. Representing Kerala, Dr. B.Sreejith, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree made a presentation on various projects implemented by Kudumbashree in the field of social development. Justin Mathew, State Programme Manager and Krishnakumari R, State Assistant Programme Manager also participated in the programme. Athira, Community Resource Person from Malappuram district shared her successful experiences related to the implementation of the FNHW project. The team also visited various CDSs in Meghalaya.

Kudumbashree’s ‘50 Plus’ Campaign to increase the number of NHG members to 50 lakhs with the aim of organizational empowerment has been launched in the state. As part of the campaign, which will be organized till 30 August 2025, those who are not yet members of NHGs will be identified and made part of NHGs. Special NHGs will also be formed for the differently-abled, transgender and elderly. NHG members who have dropped out will be brought back into the neighborhood group system. In this regard, preparatory work has been started at the CDS, ADS and district levels.

Currently, there are 48 lakh members in Kudumbashree. It is expected that at least five lakh women will be newly recruited into the NHG system through the campaign. The campaign activities implemented by focusing on coastal, tribal, linguistic minority Kannada areas, and CDSs with fewer neighborhood groups will be helpful in this. Kannada Mentors, Tribal Animators, Tribal Special Project Co-ordinators, and Coastal Volunteers will be utilized for this purpose.

As part of the campaign, in the first phase, a list of NHGs that have stopped functioning will be prepared in each CDS. Then, activities will be started under the leadership of Kudumbashree ADSs to make them functional. Activities will be carried out after a census of all families and NHG members within each CDS area in relation to the formation of new NHGs. All newly started NHGs will be provided with accounting training under the leadership of the Kudumbashree KAASS team. In addition, Kudumbashree will directly provide training to the CDS Chairpersons. The Block Co-ordinator will be responsible for co-ordinating the block level campaign activities.

As part of the campaign, district level consultation meetings were organized before 25 June 2025. Training for CDSs has also been completed. The decision has been made to complete the campaign activities by 25 July 2025.

Kudumbashree's participation in various campaigns and awareness programmes such as extreme poverty eradication programmes, waste management, anti-drug campaign, digital literacy activities, and disaster management activities is important. The active participation of NHG members plays an important role in the success of these programmes.

Kudumbashree's online radio 'Radio Shree' was launched from 1 July 2025 onwards as a new voice of empowerment. The new broadcast start from 7 AM with the technical co-operation of Malayalam Mission. The aim is to utilize Radio Shree as the most effective teaching medium to learn and understand about Kudumbashree. There will be programme that integrate entertainment and knowledge. Kudumbashree aims to spread knowledge globally by bringing information and knowledge about women empowerment and poverty  eradication activities implemented in the state and other states through Kudumbashree to various parts of the world, including NHG families.

The broadcast will start from 7 AM. Six different programmes will be broadcasted, namely 'Sindooracheppu', 'Kootukari', Radio 'Shreemathi', 'Nattarangu', 'Radio Shree Sahityotsavam' and 'Audio Book'. Each programme is one hour long. The first schedule is from 7 AM to 1 PM. There will be a twenty-four-hour broadcast in four schedules of six hours each. Eighteen hours of this will be rebroadcast. In addition, there will be Kudumbashree news for five minutes every two hours. Through the broadcast based on innovative technology, very enjoyable and informative programmes have been prepared for the listeners.

Anyone who uses a smartphone can listen to the radio through the App Store, Play Store, as well as through an Android Play Store and IOS Store account. Radio Shree broadcasts can also be accessed on the website www.radioshree.com. The advantage of online radio is that the project activities implemented through Kudumbashree can be reached to 48 lakh families and various sectors of the society in the shortest possible time. Efforts are being made to ensure the presence of Kudumbashree's voice in every sector of the society, including NHG women, students, parents, and various workplaces.

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.