Kudumbashree (IPA: [ku.ɖum.bɐʃ.riː]; means 'Prosperity of the family'[1]) is a poverty eradication and women empowerment programme implemented by the Government of Kerala.
From the beginning, it has been functioning under the local self-government department by accepting financial support from the union government and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Kudumbashree also associates with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Kerala.
[18] After its formation in 2012, the Kudumbashree NRO signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with 9 States (Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Sikkim) to provide technical and implementation support to their State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) for the adaption of Kudumbashree's best practices.
MEC are expected to provide hand holding support and capacity building services primarily to women entrepreneurs from rural areas in exchange for a fee.
The Enterprises project is in the pilot phase in select districts of 7 States - Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Sikkim.
The PRI-CBO Convergence project is in the pilot phase in select blocks of 7 States – Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Sikkim.
[36] Covid-19 pandemic The organisation implemented the Chief Minister’s ‘Sahayahastham’ (Helping Hands) Loan Scheme,[37] made regular Communication with the community, focused specially on elderly care, extended special care for the vulnerable communities, extended counselling services, made use of the enterprise opportunities (production of masks, sanitizers and face shields, cloth bags for the Civil Supplies Department for distributing the food kits to the public, run Community Kitchens, launched Janakeeya Hotels across the state to serve meals at Rs 20, set up Take Away counters at state boundaries and food supply to Corona Care Centres etc) and filling in the social needs and also involved in volunteering and other activities as well.