Kudumbashree Celebrates Silver Jubilee:
President Droupadi Murmu, during her recent visit to Kerala, inaugurated the silver jubilee celebrations of Kudumbashree, the largest self-help group network in the country.
- Kudumbashree was established in 1997 in Kerala, aiming at eradicating poverty and empowering women following the recommendations of a government-appointed task force.
- The mission was launched with the support of the Government of India and NABARD
- Kudumbashree meaning ‘prosperity of the family’ in the Malayalam language and therefore focuses on poverty alleviation and women empowerment, promoting democratic leadership and provides support structures within the “Kudumbashree family.”
- The mission operates through a Three-Tier structure consisting of,
- Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs) at the primary level
- Area Development Societies (ADS) at the ward level
- Community Development Societies (CDS) at the local government level.
- This structure forms a large network of Self-Help Groups.
Self-Help Group:
- Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are informal associations of people who choose to come together to find ways to improve their living conditions.
- It can be defined as a self-governed, peer-controlled information group of people with similar socio-economic backgrounds and having a desire to collectively perform a common purpose.
- SHG relies on the notion of “Self Help” to encourage self-employment and poverty alleviation.
