A Field Work Report of Kudumbashree Activities In Neyyattinkara Municipality. Submitted By: Sham Krishna B City Mission Manager NULM, Neyyattinkara Municipality Date: 07/08/2017
Kudumbashree An Introduction Kudumbashree is the poverty eradication and women empowerment programme implemented by the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM) of the Government of Kerala. The name Kudumbashree in Malayalam language means prosperity of the family. The Kudumbashree community organisation works in a local government through its three tier system Neighborhood Groups (NHGs) as primary level organizations, Area Development Societies (ADSs) at the ward level, and Community Development Societies (CDSs) at the local government level. I joined Neyyatinkara municipality on 29th July 2017 as NULM City Mission Manager. My working experience with Kudumbashree was a encouraging and motivating. Neyyatinkara municipality has 608 NHGs, 44 ADSs, and 2 CDS. CDS 1 and CDS 2 have 21 and 23 ADS respectively. Last week we visited Kudumbashree micro enterprise units, Ashraya Beneficiary, NLGs, NHG and ADS meetings. I am sharing my Kudumbashree experience with this assignment. Neighbor Hood Group (NHG) Meeting On 1st August I attend NHG (Akshara) meeting held on Uttichalkonam on 3 PM. Out of 13 members 11members participated in the meeting in addition to that CDS chairperson also 1
attended. The agenda of the meeting was to replace the secretary and to rectify the auditing problems. The secretary of the NHG dismisses most of the group members by returning all their deposits in Kudumbashree and trying to dissolve the group. The main reason behind this was she wants to leave the secretary place and NHG group. This problem was found during the auditing time. The CDS chairperson solves the issue by electing a new secretary and the amount that returned by the secretary to the group members converted to loans. The group members agreed that they will continue in the group and NHG meeting will conduct on every Saturday. According to my point of view the secretary can inform this to the concerned ADS and CDS chairpersons regarding her problems in the group and it can be easily solved. The other members in the group are willing to continue in this group. There is lack of communication between the other officials and members in the group. Most of the group members are not fully aware about the objective of Kudumbashree Mission. The meeting comes to an end by 4: 15 PM. ADS and CDS Meeting ADS meeting conducted by the ADS president of Mullaravilla ward on 04th August 2017. This ADS have 20 NHG group. Meeting was conducted at Maruthi school Mullaravilla at 3: 30 PM. The agenda of meeting were awareness of Suchithwa mission and its pledge on 15th August, 2
Revolving fund usages, Affiliation and Auditing of NHG groups. Concerned CDS chairperson also attends the meeting. Total 43 members were present in the meeting. The meeting was started by a silent prayer and a welcome speech by ADS secretary. CDS chairperson talks about Suchitwa mission and elimination of waste from home and nearby localities. Usage and Implementation of biogas plant and other wastage elimination process that can be used in the kitchen garden. Formation of three Balasabha in each NHG. For suchitwa mission survey 10 member group is selected. Meeting comes to an end by 5PM. ADS meeting conducted by the ADS president and Counselor of Urrittukala ward on 05th August 2017. This ADS have 13 NHG group. Meeting was conducted at Urriruttukala Govt. LP School at 3 PM. The agenda of meeting were awareness of Suchithwa mission and its pledge on 15th August, Onam Festival Celebrations, Affiliation and Auditing of NHG groups. Total 42 members were present in the meeting. The meeting was started by a prayer and a welcome speech by ADS President. Counselor talks about Suchitwa mission and elimination of waste from home and nearby localities. Usage and Implementation of biogas plant and other wastage elimination process that can be used in the kitchen garden. For suchitwa mission survey 10 member group is selected. Meeting comes to an end by 4 PM. 3
Attiyanoor Ward and Puthenambalam ward ADSs meeting conducted by the ADS president and Counselor of both the wards on 06th August 2017. This Attiyanoor and Puthenambalam ADS have 19 and 15 NHG group respectively. Meeting was conducted at Attiyanoor Govt. LP School at 4:15 PM. The agenda of meeting were awareness of Suchithwa mission and its pledge on 15th August, Affiliation and Auditing of NHG groups. Total 39 members were present in the meeting. The meeting was started by a silent prayer and a welcome speech by Puthenambalam counselor. Counselor talks about Kudumbashree and ask the members to take a serious approach to the activities. ADS presidents talk about Suchitwa mission and elimination of waste from home and nearby localities. Usage and Implementation of biogas plant and other wastage elimination process that can be used in the kitchen garden. For suchitwa mission survey 10 member group is selected. Meeting comes to an end by 5:30 PM. According to my point of view most of the members are not taking the Kudumbashree as a serious programme. They are only interested in depositing their money and taking loans not more that. One of the reason is unawareness of the Kudumbashree programs and schemes, Lack of communication between the members, reluctance to change from their current living habits, fear to take loans for new startups. Last CDS meeting was held on 24th and 27th of July and next CDS meeting is planned in 9th and 10th of August so we can t attend the CDS meeting in this assignment period. 4
Micro Enterprises 1. Sneha Food Products Sneha food products start with the help of Kudumbashree by 2011 in Kodangavilla. We visited this on 4th August 2017. Kudumbashree member Sumathi takes an initial loan of 5 lakh rupees from Canara bank and started this business. Now they have 5 Kudumbashree women working in that enterprise. She got 1.75 lakh rupees as subsidy in that initial loan amount. After that she takes 2.5 lakh and 3 lakh in subsequent years and she expanded the enterprise and now it is moving very well. They are giving food products to bakery in around 10km circle. They main food products they made are cake, chips, egg puffs, different types of sweets etc. They have a delivery vehicle for supply the products to bakeries. Currently they are well going firm under Kudumbashree. They are happy with that firm but currently they not much active in their NHG group because they are busy with their work. The problem they are facing currently was they are paying an interest of 17.5% for the subsequent loan they are taken. But I think they can handle that with the current business. They are also planning to buy new machines for business expansion. 5
2. Pranavshree Textiles Pranavshree Textiles in Kodangavilla is an initiative by Latha in that ward. She started this unit in 2015 with an initial amount of 2 lakhs rupees. Now she repaid all her loans and moving well with her business. She bought a scooter and now she sells her products door to door. She purchases the cloths from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. She the ADS Chairperson of the ward and she is also a member of an NLG group in the ward. She said that she bought 2 scooters for her family. She bought a land to build a house. And now she is planning to build a house in coming year. 6
Joint Liability Group (JLG Group) JLG groups in Mannalivilla have 7.5 acres of land for their agricultural purposes. There are 5 JLG groups in that ward with leased land ranging 1 acre to 2 acres. There are total 24 members in 5 JLG group each member takes 50000 rupees as loan with an interest of 4% after subsidy. Their main veggies cultivated are different types of Spinach, Ladies finger, Tapioca, Cucumber, Brinjal, Banana etc. They leased the land for 25000 rupees per.75 acers of land per year. They currently sell their cultivated vegetables in Perimpezhuthur market and Kodangavilla market. As in any agricultural sector they are now facing problems like scarcity of water, Climatic changes, using of pesticides and electricity connection for pumping the water etc. Now they are planning to make an onam market with these vegetables. Last year it was very successful but this year production is low even after they will make the onam vegetable market with the help of Kudumbashree 7
Ashraya Beneficiary Ashraya is one of best socially committed scheme under Kudumbashree. In Manallivilla ward there are 7 beneficiaries of ashraya scheme. We met some of the beneficiaries with the help of Manallivilla ADS chairperson. Leela aged 65 is the one of the beneficiary. She is mentally and physically challenged and she is look after by one of her relative they are getting a monthly ration of 10kg rice, sugar, oil and tea from supply co Neyyatinkara. Another beneficery is Thamarakshi amma aged 70years, she is living alone and she also get the same ration. Kishnamma 80 years of age, her family has 6 members so they are getting 30kg rice. remaining same. All these people are facing the issue of collecting the monthly ration from supply co each beneficiary want to go directly to supply co, some of the beneficiary are not able to go because of their physical and mental conditions. Some of the people are not getting the proper quantity of ration according to their total members in the family. It is good to arrange a monthly delivery system to deliver the ration directly. 8
Conclusion Kudumbashree is one the best socially committed mission under of Government of Kerala. Mission will help to empower the women in our society. But the lack of knowledge about the schemes and improper communication are the main drawbacks of the mission. According to my experience there are problems from the root of NHG itself. Some of the members itself don t know about the Kudumbashree properly, they are considering Kudumbashree only as a financial institution for their small investments. With proper knowledge transfer I think it can be rectified. I will say Ashraya is one of the best socially committed programme by Kudumbashree. I hope it would be a wonderful working experience with Kudumbashree. I am considering this as a chance for working for the welfare of the society as a Kudumbashree employee. I consider a smile from the beneficiary person who got benefited from my work will give me the Job satisfaction, I will always try to gain that SMILE. 9