Kudumbashree's micro entrepreneurs have excelled at the Kerala State School Youth Festival held at Kanhangad of the Kasaragode district of Kerala from 28 November 2019 to 1 December 2019. Kudumbashree had partnered with the Kerala State School Youth Festival by providing food services and Kudumbashree entrepreneurs have earned more than Rs 15 lakhs through their hard work.

The Director of General Education and the Organizing Committee of the Kerala State School Youth Festival gave Kudumbashree the permission to operate Kudumbashree food courts and juice stalls at the premises of the School Youth Festival venues. 35 Cafe Kudumbashree units had set up 17 food-juice stalls at the venues of the 60th State Youth Festival. The food-juice courts were functioning at 17 venues of Kerala School Youth Festival. Kudumbashree's cafe outlets had served tea, coffee, snacks, varieties of juices, payasam, avil milk etc. The ‘Ethnic Food Court’ which served traditional food had also attracted as many visitors. In addition to this initiative, Harithakarmasena of Kudumbashree had opened ‘watermelon juice’ stalls at all the 28 venues/ locations. 112 Harithakarmasena members had provided their service in these juice stalls.

Kudumbashree units have been regularly receiving opportunities to serve food at big events and functions which are attended by more than thousands of people. When the India- West Indies One Day Cricket Match was held at the Green Field Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram during November 2018, ten units of Kudumbashree served food in the venue to around 7000 people through 11 counters. Kudumbashree had also received the opportunity to serve food at the meeting of Navakerala Mission which was attended by around 3000 people’s representatives. Kudumbashree entrepreneurs are receiving series of bigger opportunities to showcase their strength and hard work thesedays.

Kudumbashree Mission joins hands with ICICI Home Finance Company (ICICI-HFC), the home finance wing of ICICI Bank for providing loans to 7000 families as per the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) of PMAY before March 2021. The MoU regarding the same was signed between Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission and Shri. Kayomarz Dotivala, Head, National Business (Distribution) ICICI-HFC at Kudumbashree State Mission office on 22 November 2019. Kudumbashree Mission had already associated with Axis Bank and Bank of India for CLSS. As per this, 20,343 families from 93 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Kerala had already been issued bank loan. Kudumbashree is the nodal agency for implementing PMAY-LIFE programme in Kerala.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is an initiative by Government of India through which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor by 2022. CLSS can be called as interest subsidy scheme under PMAY that is given to people for home construction, purchase, extension and improvement. Those who are permanently living in any urban areas in India continuously for three years and those who do not have permanent houses can only apply for CLSS. As per this scheme, those families who have annual income upto Rs 6 lakhs (Economically Weaker Section) will get bank loan upto Rs 6 lakhs with interest subsidy of 6.5%. Families with annual income of Rs 6 lakhs- RS 12 lakhs (Middle Income Group 1) may get bank loan upto Rs 9 lakhs with interest subsidy of 4%.Families of annual income of Rs 12-18 lakhs (Middle Income Group 2) may get bank loan upto Rs 12 lakhs with interest subsidy of 3 %. The repayment tenure of all banks would be 20 years.

Smt. Roshni Pillai, Smt. M Bhavana State Programme Managers, PMAY, Shri. K. Kumar, Municipal Finance Specialist, PMAY, Smt. K. Prathibha, Urban Infrastructure Specialist, PMAY, Smt. Susan Mathew, Zonal Business Manager, ICICI-HFC, Shri. Deepu Jose, Regional Manager - Alliance, ICICI-HFC, Shri. Ajeesh A S - Regional Head Instituional Business, ICICI Bank and Shri. Aravind Haridas, Chief Manager, Institutional Business, ICICI Bank also attended the function.

CCMeeting at Secretariat-Durbar-Hall 

Kudumbashree has been excelling in India International Trade Fair (IITF), which is being held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 14-27 November 2019. Organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), the nodal trade promotion agency of the Government of India, the event was kick started when Shri. Nitin,Gadgari, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India inaugurated the 39th edition of IITF on 14 November 2019.
Kudumbashree has been participating in IITF since 2002 and had been setting up the food court since 2012. During 2013, Kudumbashree was the gold medal winner and also the Silver medal winner in 2014 which was constituted by ITPO. Kudumbashree has been the Best Stall Winner in all these years, which was instituted by Information Public Relations Department (I&PRD). This year also, Kudumbashree bagged the First Prize for the Best Commercial Stall in the Kerala Pavilion.

At the product stall at the Kerala pavilion the products from Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikkode and Palakkad districts were exhibited and sold. There were 6 Micro Enterprise Consultants (MECs) representing Kudumbashree at the product stall. At the Food court there were 2 units from Thiruvanathapuram and Malappuram districts participating and there were 7 members along with the AIFRHM (Adebha Institute of Food Research and Hospitality Management) team. At the IITF, there were 7 stalls of Kudumbashree including the ones from Ernakulam, Palakkad, Thrissur, Kottayam, Kollam districts and Attapady. There were 14 members participating from Attappady. Dr. T.M Thomas Isaac, Minister for Finance and Coir, Government of Kerala, Shri. T.N.Prathapan, MP, Miss. Remya Haridas,MP, Adv. A.M Ariff, MP and Shri. A. Sampath visited the stalls.

In line with the theme 'Ease of Doing Business', Kudumbashree depicted the entrepreneurship development through Kudumbashree. IITF is a major tourist attraction and lakhs of people visit the fair every year. This annual event provides a common platform for the manufacturers, traders, exporters and importers. The fair displays comprises a wide range of products and services including automobiles, coir products, jute, textiles, garments, household appliances, kitchen appliances, processed food, beverages, confectionery, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, body care & health care products, telecommunication, power sector, electronic sector, furniture, home furnishings, sporting goods, toys, and engineering goods. Ever since its inception in 1980, IITF has been evolved as a major event for the business community. The event is held between 14–27 November every year at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. 'Ease of Doing Business', is the theme of 39th India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2019. IITF will come to an end on 27 November 2019.

Project worth Rs 250 crores have been sanctioned specially for Kudumbashree. Government Order (G.O(MS) No.28/2019/PEA) regarding the same has been issued approving the special package of Rs 250 crores for Kudumbashree for livelihood generation and flood relief activities.The proposal for Rs 250 crores include Rs 45 crores for the flood relief activities and Rs 205 crores for livelihood generation activities. Some key programmes for livelihood promotion approved in this special package include projects for skill development, Kerala Chicken Programme, and Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP). After the unprecedented floods of 2018, Kudumbashree has been framing new projects for livelihood generation. Kudumbashree had already submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Action Plan to Rebuild Kerala Initiative (RKI) in this regard. Action Plan for the special programme which would be implemented with the financial support of World Bank has been approved.

There had been a steady growth in the budget allocation for poverty alleviation and livelihood activities through Kudumbashree Mission during the past years. During 2016-17 Kudumbashree Mission's budget was Rs 131 crores. In 2017-18 the allocation increased to Rs 161 crores. During the financial year 2018-19, the annual allocation for Kudumbashree was Rs 188 crores and during 2019-20 it is Rs 253 crores. Out of this Rs 253 crore, Rs 181 crore is for regular activities, and Rs 75 crores was the Special Livelihood Package for flood rehabilitation.

Kudumbashree Mission organises Gothrapperuma 2019 at Kerala Legislative Assembly Complex for selling the branded products of the tribal communities at Kerala Legislative Assembly Complex, Thiruvananthapuram on 20 and 21 November 2019. The 'Exhibition cum Sales Mela' of the branded tribal products for the members of the Kerala legislative assembly is being organised near the 5D Hall at Kerala Legislative Assembly Complex. The branded products from the tribal areas of Attappady, Athirappally and Idukki are for sale at the exhibition cum sales fair. The traditional products and agro based value added products of tribal communities have general acceptance and are of high demand among the general public. It is on this background their products were branded and brought for sale.

The agro products produced by the Gothrasamithis of Attappady is branded in the name 'Hill Value' and the products of the Kadar community of Malakkappara/Athirappally area is branded as 'Kananam Athirappally'. Whereas, the products of the tribal community of Idukki is brought to the market in the brand name 'Kuravan Kurathi'. The products under 'Hill Value' brand include coffee, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, pickles, njavara, cardamom, clove, brindleberry, ragi, chama, thina, amara, thumara, tamarind, pepper, kungilyam, honey, sesame, cinnamon and the products under 'Kuravan Kurathi' brand includes Stingless bee honey, ragi and brindleberry. Honey, coffee and pepper are the main products branded under 'Kananam Athirappally' brand.

A National Workshop on Elderly Friendly Communities will be organised by Kudumbashree associating with Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) at Mascot Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram on 19 and 20 November 2019. The workshop has been conceived in the context of the challenges posed by demographic transition. Shri A.C. Moideen, Minister for Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala will inaugurate the workshop at Mascot Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram on 19 November 2019. Shri. T.K. Jose IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala will preside over the function. The workshop will conclude with a plenary session addressed by Smt K.K. Smt. K. K. Shailaja Teacher, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Kerala in the afternoon session scheduled to be held on 20 November 2019. Smt. Sarada Muraleedharan IAS, Principal Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala will chair the plenary session. The technical sessions will feature national and international experiences and various knowledge domains. The National Workshop will bring together the expertise of people specializing on the issues relating to the elderly population together, draw from the experiences of elderly-friendly initiatives across the country and outside, and help develop checklists that would work as practical guides at the field level for local level planning and action.

The workshop will examine the demographic transition that Kerala is undergoing and the challenges that it poses as the proportion of the elderly rises in the state’s population. The social implications of demographic transition and the readiness that the healthcare system has to ensure will be examined at the seminar. There will be sessions that feature the issues of developing a reliable system for geriatric care which will look into specific challenges of mobility and active ageing.The workshop will also examine the social justice dimension of ageing and health care for the elderly by throwing light on the vulnerable sections of the society. It will probe dementia as a special topic as the condition poses specific challenges to elderly care in general and healthcare in particular. Technological challenges and trends in assistive technologies will also be discussed. The workshop will deliberate on the emerging ‘care economy’, exploring the economic and social challenges and opportunities in care-giving and palliative care. Different models from the public sector as well as not-for-profit and private sectors will be examined. Various models that have emerged in the sector through local government initiatives will be presented and discussed as part of this. The workshop is expected to help in developing new strategies and programmes for moving towards elderly-friendly communities.

The participants of the workshop would include experts, administrators, agencies and institutions working on issues relating to the elderly, elderly-care, palliative care, and nursing care. Local governments and Kudumbashree Community Development Societies with experience in running similar programmes will be invited to share their experiences at the workshop.

State Level Inauguration of Snehitha Calling Bell Week was held at Punartham Auditorium, Elavankonam, Thiruvannathapuram on 15 November 2019. Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala inaugurated the programme. Shri. I.B Satheesh, MLA presided over the function. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission explained the Snehitha Calling Bell Programme. Snehitha Calling Bell Week would be observed at all Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups from 15-21 November 2019.

Snehitha calling bell is an innovative programme which aims to ensure protection and security of individuals who are living alone or at isolated place. The programme started to focus on senior citizens as the crime against people who are living alone has increased in some areas. Kudumbashree has started the programme state wide in the financial year 2018-19. By observing Snehitha Calling Bell Week, Kudumbashree aims at arranging these activities and ensure public support for this initiative.

Snehitha gender help desk holds the responsibility of the implementation and monitoring of the Snehitha Calling Bell programme. Snehitha identifies the individuals who are isolated in the society and people who are distressed and no one to look after them. The NHGs in the respective areas holds the responsibility of taking care of the isolated person/persons. The health volunteer or any member of the NHG will be visiting/contacting them once in a day. This will help to avoid the atrocities and violence against aged and those who are living alone. And also this will help to provide any other support immediately if needed. Kudumbashree conducts house visits to identify the support beneficiaries of the program on regular basis. A set of questionnaire has been prepared and used for data collection. Kudumbashree also conducts the need assessment study among the support beneficiaries and try to fulfill the needs in convergence with various departments. Kudumbashree have also conducted medical camps for the support beneficiaries across the state. The Snehitha calling bell beneficiaries are also linked with ‘Pakalveedu’ which will help to build rapport and it is a recreation activity too.