Amidst the crisis of covid-19 pandemic, 47 DDU-GKY students are all set to go to Malaysia & Middle East after securing Foreign Placements through Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), the skill training programme jointly being implemented by the Central-State Governments in Kerala through Kudumbashree. They had completed their training in the same course, that too from the same training centre. It is a notable fact that, it is amidst the crisis of the covid-19 pandemic, that these much students have secured foreign placements. And now, the number of students who had secured foreign placements through the DDU-GKY programme being implemented through Kudumbashree has became 350. 

The students who had completed the Injection Molding Machine Operations Course from Central Institute of Petrochemical Engineering and Technology (CIPET), the Central Government Institute at Palakkad has secured placements at Malaysia and Middle East Countries within two months. The Visas for them had already been issued. Sujeesh, Shihabudeen, Mubasheer, Jithesh K S, Muhammed Favas, Unnikrishnan, Sreenath K R, Jishnu Arakkingal, Sreerag K, Sanjay K V, Shahinsha, Sulthan Basheer, Samsad, Muhammed Shafi, Akshay M K, Afsal M A, Naseeb Rahman, Jishnu K, Muhammed Junaid K, Jagan C J, Sandeep, Sanal G P, Shyamjith, Arjun K K, Premjith, Jithin, Kamal Kumar, Rahul Krishnan, Junaid K, Jithil T T, Muhammed Yasin K, Vishnu K K, Abijith K K, Abhilal Abhayan, Abdul Hashim Sunaid, Christo Jose, Ijlal T I, Nimal Mohanan, Nitheesh K,  Shahil Siraj T P, Sharshad K, Ubaidh K K, Hareesh Murali, Muhammed Swalih VM, Mohammed Thamseed, Ibrahim M H and Shuhaib are the 47 students who had secured the foreign placements through DDU-GKY.  

The poor rural youth between 18 to 35 years of age is extended free skill training in various 26 sectors such as Tourism Hospitality, Electronics, Healthcare etc, through DDU-GKY. Those who have completed the courses as part of the programme has secured foreign placements in various foreign countries such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Spain.

'Kerala Chicken', the project conceptualized and launched by the Government of Kerala to ensure the market of good quality chicken at affordable rates all across the state is being a hit among the public. Kudumbashree was able to make a sales of Rs 50.20 crores until now through this project which was started during November 2017. Sales of around Rs 20 lakhs are recorded per day. More than 25 lakh chickens have already been sold out. The project is jointly being implemented by Kudumbashree and the Animal Husbandry Department.

The project is supervised by the Animal Husbandry Department. Kudumbashree implements two activities, viz., taking chicken to the market through integration farming and launching & running the processing units. Kudumbashree Broiler Farmers Producers Company Limited (KBFPCL) has been started for the same. In the initial phase, Kudumbashree did the activity of starting the farms and bringing the broiler chicken from these farms to the market. Later, from June 2020, onwards, specially branded, exclusive marketing outlets of Kerala Chicken were also started. Through these outlets, Broiler Chicken was made available in the brand, 'Kerala Chicken'.

As of now, 248 farms and 82 marketing outlets are functioning as part of the Kerala Chicken project, which is being implemented through Kudumbashree. The farms and marketing outlets are functioning in 6 districts viz., Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode. The matured broiler chicken is directly taken from the farms to the marketing outlets. Livelihood opportunities were opened for 330 families through these farms and marketing outlets. In the second phase, these activities would be extended to4 more districts viz., Palakkad, Malappuram, Kannur and Alappuzha. We are also making efforts to extend Kudumbashree's Kerala Chicken Project to the remaining 4 districts as well.

Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission is all set to create an egg revolution through the Community Enterprise Fund of National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). The 'Kozhiyum Koodum' Programme has been kick started at Kasaragod district under the leadership of Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission. The Programme is being implemented using the Community Enterprise Fund (CEF) allotted by Kudumbashree State Mission for Kasaragod district.

The programme aims at making available at least two eggs per head a week for Kudumbashree members and their families and to improve the livelihood sector of the women. Kudumbashree Kasaragod District had decided to observe 2020-21 Financial year as 'Silver Revolution Year' and on it's basis, they had chosen to give Community Enterprises Fund (CEF) loan as stall installments to the selected CDSs in the district and encourage backyard egg production. 

A total of 122 units including 20-25 layer poultry chicks had been distributed to the individual beneficiaries of 3 CDSs in the district until now. Out of them, 80 beneficiaries have received the chicks and the coops. Actions would be taken to make available the coops by making use of the convergence with the MGNREGS. The District Mission would give 'Chicks & Hoops' to 90 individual beneficiaries in 4 CDSs through CEF by the end of October. The backyard egg production programme would be implemented in the remaining CDSs, once the Special Livelihood Fund would be received. Kasaragod District Mission has also started the efforts to make available the Black Chicken (Kadaknath) and coops to the BUDS Children of Parappa and Karadukka Block Panchayats, the Intensive Blocks in the district.

The State Level Inauguration of the Seed Capital Financial Assistance Scheme was held. Shri. P. Rajeev, Minister for Industries, Law and Coir, Government of Kerala inaugurated the function at Hotel Avenue Regent, Ernakulam on 18 October 2021. The Seed Capital Financial Assistance is given as part of the PMFME (PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme-Project for forming food processing enterprises) for extending support to the enterprises functioning in the food processing sector. 

The project is formulated by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India and is being implemented in Kerala through the Industries Department, Government of Kerala. Approval was received to give Rs 4,30,51,096 to 1440 Kudumbashree entrepreneurs from 14 districts across the state. Ms. S. Renjini, District Mission Coordinator, Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission and Kudumbashree entrepreneurs jointly received the amount from the Minister during the function. 

The financial assistance is given as interest free loans to the entrepreneurs through the respective CDSs. As per the project, the individual-group enterprises in the food processing sector would get assistance for 4 main factors such as Seed Fund, Credit Linked Capital Grant, Public Basic Amenities, Branding-Marketing. 

Shri. M.G Rajamanickam IAS, MD, KSIDC welcomed the gathering. Dr. K Ellangovan IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Government of Kerala delivered the presidential address. Shri. Biju P. Abraham, General Manager, Ernakulam District Industries Centre extended vote of thanks. After the Inaugural function, classes were given to the entrepreneurs on value addition.

The results of 'Kudumbashree oru Nerchithram’ Photography Competition Season 4 has been announced. Shri. Suresh Cameo, Thekkumbatt House, Thekkankuroor, Malappuram bagged the first prize. Shri. Alfred M.K, Muringathery House, Erumapetty, Thrissur came second and Shri. Madhu Edachana, Kulangara House, Ozhakkodi, Wayanad came in third place. The Award for the Best Photographer is Rs 25,000. The second prize and third prize are Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. The jury consisted of Shri. R. Gopalakrishnan, Senior Cinema Still Photographer, Shri. V. Vinod, Chief Photographer, Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Kerala, Smt. Chandralekha C.S, Documentary Filmmaker & Photographer and Smt. Asha Vargheese, Director, Kudumbashree selected the winners.

Kudumbashree organized the Season 4 of ‘Kudumbashree or Nerchithram’ Photography Competition for motivating the aspiring photographers and to propagate the activities of Kudumbashree Mission through photographs. The contestants were directed to submit photographs that reflect the priority projects of Kudumbashree Mission. Rs 2000 each will be issued for 10 entries as consolation prizes. Shri. Deepesh Puthiyapurayil, Shri. K.B Vijayan, Shri. Sarath Chandran, Shri. Pramod K, Shri. Abhilash G, Shri. Baiju C.J, Shri. Dinesh K, Shri. Jubel Joseph Jude, Shri. Shiju Vani and Shri Ijaz Punalur are the Consolation Prize winners.

The Photography Competition is organized realising that the best photographs depicting the hard work of Kudumbashree members would further boost the women empowerment process. The fourth season of the competition was held from 22 July 2021 to 15 September 2021. Good quality photographs portraying the strength of Kudumbashree, functioning focusing on women empowerment is considered for the ‘Kudumbashree Oru Nerchithram’ Photography Competition, which is being conducted from 2017 onwards. Like the first three seasons, the fourth season has also received good responses.

The first season of ‘Kudumbashree oru Nerchithram’ was conducted during November- December 2017, the second season during February- March 2019 and the third season was held during January- February 2020. The three seasons of 'Kudumbashree Oru Nerchithram' Photography Competition had resulted in a huge success. Good quality photographs portraying the strength of Kudumbashree, functioning focusing on women empowerment is considered for the ‘Kudumbashree Oru Nerchithram’ Photography Competition. Kudumbashree Mission which envisions eradicating poverty through women in Kerala had successfully completed 23 revolutionary years.

Kudumbashree Agri Nutri Garden project was officially launched. Shri. I.B Satheesh, MLA, Kattakkada constituency officially inaugurated the programme at Maranalloor Grama Panchayath, Thiruvananthapuram on 3 October 2021. Adv. D. Suresh, President, District Panchayath presided over the function. Smt. P.I Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree explained the project in detail. The promotion video of the project was also launched at the function. The Agri Nutri Garden project aims at setting up organic nutritional gardens at households across the state, make available nutritious vegetables and fruits, prepare them to become self-sufficient in vegetables and thereby create a healthy society. Ten lakh beneficiaries would be identified for the programme. Suitable vegetables and fruits would be cultivated in their houses as per the local agricultural climate.
                                               
It was decided to arrange nutrition gardens in all houses during 2021-22 as part of the farm livelihood programme being implemented through Kudumbashree in the state. The nutrition gardens are set up in all wards as per this. The nutri gardens would cultivate any five of the nutrition rich agricultural products viz., tomato, bitter gourd, spinach, pumpkin, coriander, mint, lady's finger, brinjal cucumber and two types of fruit trees. Every beneficiary should do organic farming in a minimum of three cents of land. The project would be implemented in the Grama Panchayats. For that, 50 families would be identified in every ward and a cluster would be formed.  Every cluster would have a President, Secretary, Vice President and Joint Secretary.

Kudumbashree would give the seeds for the cultivation and training. Training would be extended on ploughing the field, sowing the seed, manuring and on taking care of the crops under the leadership of JEVA and Master trainers. Cluster level meetings would be held every month and the development of the project. Organizing & Monitoring Committees would be formed at the Panchayath level by including the elected representatives. After the share-out of agricultural products to the households, the rest would be marketed through the marketing outlets such as Kudumbashree Nattuchantha and Krishi Bhavan. The interventions for the same would be implemented at the CDS level. The campaign activities as part of the project are progressing across the state.

Shri. A. Suresh Kumar, President, Maranalloor Grama Panchayath, Thiruvananthapuram welcomed the gathering. Shri. I. B Satheesh MLA Kattakada constituency gave away the prizes to the winners of the Poster Designing Programme organized in connection with the publicity of Agri Nutri Garden programme for Kudumbashree Balasabha members. Adv. Preeja S.K, Smt. Santha Prabhakaran, Smt. Deena Kumari K.S, Shri. A R Sudheer Khan, Smt. Premavalli S, Shri. Anto V, Shri. Sabu Sajayan P S, Smt. Sheeba Mol V.V, Smt. Indulekha V.A, Shri Manoj B.S and Smt. Santhakumari gave away the felicitations. Dr. K. R Shaiju, Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram District Mission Coordinator extended vote of thanks.