The Kudumbasree poverty eradication mission has inducted a total of 13,132 new neighbourhood groups (NHGs) between November 2012 and June 2014 as part of its total inclusion campaign in the districts of Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Thrissur.
The State-wide campaign has seen the induction of a total of 42,044 new NHGs across the State with total new membership at 5,45,264.
Among the five districts, Thrissur accounts for the largest number of new NHGs at 4,043. The number is 1,761 for Alappuzha; 2,539 for Kottayam; 1,393 for Idukki and 3,396 for Ernakulam.
The special campaign, aimed at improving Kudumbasree mission’s impact on the target groups, saw an induction of new NHGs in various communities, including Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe and minority communities.
According to data from the Kudumbasree mission, a total of 40.72 lakh families are now under community-based organisations comprising 2.5 lakh NHGs; 19,773 area development societies and 1,072 community development societies.
Launched in May 1998 to fight absolute poverty, Kudumbasree mission has grown into one of Asia’s largest women’s organisations.
Neighbourhood groups are the engines of the Kudumbasree mission driving micro enterprises, micro financing, thrift collection, credit disbursals and activities such as collective farming.
The Kudumbasree mission has recently launched new support schemes, including a fund for innovation to help develop enterprises.
