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Pennorukkam Theatre Performance by Rangasree was held at Kochi Muziris Biennale Pavilion on 17 March 2019 . Pennorukkam  Theatre performance was staged by Kudumbashree's theater forum Rangashree. The theme of the play was Kerala's historical women's struggles and their achievements. The entire production has been scripted, designed and performed exclisively by Rangashree itself. Pennorukkam was performed as part of the Gender Self Learning Programme (GSLP). Selected 11 women artists hailing from Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts performed at Pennorukkam.

Pennorukkam was indeed a thought provoking performance which gave messages to the women fraternity to face and overcome any  atrocities against them. The concept of community theater had its origin during 2012. The same was launched joining women who were interested in performing arts. The community theater of each group is functioning under respective district mission offices. Foreigners from various countries and general public was present among the audience who watched the Pennorukkam performance.

Rangasree is a program to train selected women from Kudumbashree in Theatre with the aim of establishing community theaters in every CDS of the State. It also aims to disseminate the messages of social justice, equality, sustainable development etc. Women belonging to Neighborhood groups, who have talents got training and the aspire is to form local cultural organization. Gender Self Learning Programme could be regarded as the first social educational process that would have direct implications on rights and entitlements of women in grass roots. Unlike conventional women empowerment programmes that adhere to awareness classes, gender self learning programme aims at facilitating neighborhood groups on discussions that reflect on discrimination, violence and inequality. Each woman represented in the network is regarded as a participant, information provider and knowledge creator.

Kudumbashree opens RO Plant at Payyanur Municipality premises to make avail pure drinking water during scorching summer. The RO plant opened at Payyanur Municipality office premises is located near to Payyanur bus stand. A four member team of Kudumbashree women is entrusted with the charge of running the RO plant and supply the drinking water cans. The programme was officially launched on 7 March 2019. The bottled drinking water was named as ‘Sheethalam’. Kudumbashree had launched the idea of launching a Reverse Osmosis Plant to produce bottled drinking water, as part of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission Project being implemented in Kerala.  

Kudumbashree is implementing the project with the help of New Delhi based Dharna Infrastructure Private Limited. The public need to give a nominal charge of just Rs 30 for 20 litres of pure drinking water. The plant has the capacity to purify 500 litres of water per hour. The water is purified using reverse osmosis technology to treat the filtered water. The water will be then purified through ultraviolet treatment and the purity of the water is ensured. Rs. 12,75,000 is the total project cost out of which Rs 6 lakhs was the share of  Urban Local Body (ULB) and the rest of the project cost was funded through the loan availed by Kudumbashree members. 

Water Vending Machine, which would enable the consumer to avail 1 litre of water at a rate of Rs 1 would be open soon. It is also planned to extend the activities of the RO plant and to extend the same to the next phase. The demand for purified drinking water can be better converted into an enterprise opportunity and the Mission intends to open more such plants  across the state. 'Sheethalam’, purified drinking water, distributed to the people of Payyanur in reasonable prices during this time of water scarcity is really being a boon to many.

Kudumbashree Pathanamthitta District Mission is planning to introduce a mobile application for the better performance of DDU-GKY (Deendayal Upadyay Grameen Kaushal Yojana) registration and for widening the scope of the program. The design part  of the app is completed and will be active soon.

Job seekers can register in the DDUGKY skilling program through this application, in which they must enter the personal details and educational qualifications. This would help the district mission team to consolidate the details and the benefits will reach the right people with effect. Introduction of mobile application will take the DDUGKY program to comparatively more people and would help in the easy process of application. Mobile Application itself will work as  communication tool and with the links itself job seekers can reach the application and people can apply for the training.   All eligible beneficiaries can apply through the mobile application, which will reduce the block of information and reach the candidates smoothly will reduce the middle problems which keeps beneficiary in distance. The course details would  be made  available to them as per their qualifications and availability of course. The training company can accept the request with relation to their capacity. 

Social media coverage is another added advantage. The application with the link could be send to the public. This will also work as a less expense advertisement. The program will be known to public with the help of application.  The Application can be easily referred to the known people as their own. Simply they can send links to the people who need the support. Beneficiaries can apply at any time 24×7 freely. This will be useful for the public as they are not compelled to attend the mobilization meeting. And also the youth can choose the course as per their aspiration and qualification. This will make the program available to all the youth in rural area without any information transfer block. When the interested beneficiary register, notification will be send to the respective companies and the data will be saved with the district mission team. After the training and appointment of the candidate the company will send another notification to distract team. This process of communication will help the documentation process to be carried out effectively.  The app could also generate specific reports for the analysis and it will be helpful for the future planning and development.  Introduction of new application will reduces the drop out rate and can also increase the registration rate.

DDU-GKY, the skill training and placement programme under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) occupies a unique position amongst the other skill training programmes due to its focus to the poor rural youth and its emphasis on sustainable employment through the prominence and incentives given to post placement tracking, retention and career progression.

Kudumbashree, the state level nodal agency for many housing projects for the past 20 years and HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation), the premier institute in housing sector are partnering together in rebuilding Kerala. Kudumbashree is joining hands with HUDCO for building 36 houses towards the rehabilitation of the flood affected victims. As per the request of Kudumbashree Mission for providing assistance, HUDCO had granted CSR assistance worth Rs 20.02 crores for the construction of 36 houses in Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts. 12 houses each would be constructed in Venmani Grama Panchayath, Chenganoor Grama Panchayath of Alappuzha district and North Paravoor municipality of Ernakulam district. Therefore, Rs 67 lakhs each would be allotted for Venmani Grama Panchayath, Chenganoor Grama Panchayath and North Paravoor municipality for building the houses.

The beneficiaries would be selected by Kudumbashree Mission, in consultation with the District Administration and the District Administration would be selecting the beneficiaries in consultation with the Local Self  Government Institutions. Basic infrastructural facilities  such as electricity, water supply and access would be provided by the concerned Local Self Government Institutions. HUDCO will handover the financial assistance to Kudmbashree  Mission and Kudmbashree Mission will transfer the funds to implementing agencies. The monitoring will be done by the Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) and Kudumbashree Mission. The utilization certificates would be furnished by Kudumabashree  Mission after the utilization of each installment of CSR grants released by HUDCO. In Alappuzha, the construction works would be undertaken by Kudumbashree women construction groups and Nirmithi Kendra and in Ernakulam, the construction would be managed by Kudumbashree women construction groups themselves.

Kudumbashree is the State level nodal agency for the implementation of housing schemes implemented by the Union Ministry for the past 20 years viz., Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana, National Slum Development  Programme, Integrated Housing and Slum Development Scheme, Basic Services for the Urban Poor, Rajiv Awas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

The construction of 20 PMAY houses undertaken by Kudumbashree Construction Groups is progressing at Kollam Corporation. As 50 days passes by since the initiation of the construction, foundation works of 16 houses had been completed. Brick works of 7 houses has been started and the work of 5 houses had reached upto the lintel beam. The  lintel and shade had been concreted for 2 houses and the brickwork above lintel had been completed for one house.

Kudumbashree Construction Groups of Kollam take up the construction of PMAY houses at Kollam Corporation, by adding yet another feather to their cap. It is as part of rehabilitating the residents at the Alakkukuzhy slum in the cantonment division of Kollam that the houses are being constructed. The houses are being constructed at Mundakkal, Kollam. A total of 20 houses of 500 sqft area will be built in each 3 cents of land.The expenses of the construction would be met from the PMAY fund and the additional amount  from the fund of Kollam Corporation. The contract regarding the same had been signed between Kudumbashree and Kollam Corporation on 17 November 2018. As per the contract, Kollam Corporation handed over the land to Kudumbashree Construction groups on 15 December 2018. The foundation stone of the houses were laid by Adv. V. Rajendra Babu, Mayor, Kollam corporation on 31 December 2018.

Two Kudumbashree construction groups from Kollam Corporation will be in charge of the construction of the houses. In addition, constrcution team members from Sasthamkotta, Shooranad, Kottarakkara and those who got trained through NULM, DDUGKY etc would become part of the programme. It is planned to complete the construction works within 1 year time.

Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk, the first of its kind Kudumbashree Bazar is opened at Thiruvalla,Pathanamthitta. The same was inaugurated by Shri. Mathew.T.Thomas, MLA on 24 January 2019. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk is the one stop shop where all the products of Kudumbashree micro enterprises in the district would be made available. Apart from making available the Kudumbashree products under one umbrella, Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk also aims at promoting organic food thereby ensuring clean and healthy food for the public. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk is located near the Municipal Stadium at Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta.

A Kudumbashree cafe which sells cooked organic food is arranged at Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk. Arrangements for converting paddy into rice is also set up at Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk. The Kudumbashree members at the LSGs will be in charge of the functioning of Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk is set up in 2000 sqft. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk comprises of juice parlour, puttukada, ready to cook, ready to serve, stocking/ delivery counter, space for organic food items, curry powder, rice powder, vegetable items, garments, bags, tailoring, beauty parlour, organic items, bakery, rice shops, fish stall, cafeteria and billing. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk will extend an opportunity for the micro entrepreneurs in the district to market their products. Kudumbashree Bazars will soon be opened in other districts as well.